Bean Creek Watershed Monitoring Grants
In the last 2 years, groups in the Bean/Tiffin Watershed have received grants for several water quality monitoring studies and watershed education projects. Three grants were awarded to the Bean/Tiffin Watershed Coalition/Community Action Agency, and two others to Environmentally Concerned Citizens of South Central Michigan. These projects have involved many local volunteers, and substantial matching and in-kind support from local agencies and groups – USDA/NRCS, Conservation Districts, School Districts, townships, Kiwanis – and from individual donations.
Water Monitoring Projects in Bean/Tiffin Watershed (2001-2004)
1) Lime Creek Water Quality Monitoring Project (2001-2003)
– funded by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Clean Michigan
Initiative, with local matching funds. Christie Cook of Community Action Agency
coordinated this project, and citizen volunteers assisted on each sampling trip.
The project sampled 14 sites within the Lime Creek Watershed for E. coli, Phosphorus,
and Suspended Solids. Final report and data are available from Bean/Tiffin Watershed
Coalition - contact Christie Cook, Community Action Agency: 1-800-750-9300.
2) ECCSCM Water Monitoring Project (2001-2003) – funded by Sierra Club’s
Community Action grant, and coordinated by Janet Kauffman, Ph.D. and Kathy Melmoth,
R.N, for Environmentally Concerned Citizens of South Central Michigan. This
project sampled for E. coli bacteria and Dissolved Oxygen, at sites downstream
from Confined Animal Feeding Operations and fields where liquid manure was applied.
79 sites were sampled, for a total of 430 water samples. Final report with findings
of streams at risk and total data are posted here.
3) “Writing on the Bean” (2003-2004) – funded by an EPA
Environmental Education grant, to Bean/Tiffin Watershed Coalition and Community
Action Agency. 8th grade students from Addison, Hudson,
and Morenci Schools conducted stream searches in Bean
Creek parks, after which they wrote about aquatic life. Their writings are posted
on this website. The grant also funded a 4-color, tri-fold map
of the Bean highlighting the 7 public parks and native species found within
the parks.
4) Headwaters Antibiotic Monitoring, Hillsdale County (2004-) – funded
by DEQ “Emerging Issues” grant, to Community Action Agency, Bean/Tiffin
Watershed Coalition. Christie Cook will coordinate this grant, beginning Spring
2004, which will sample for 7 antibiotics in streams in the 5 watersheds having
their headwaters in Hillsdale County.
5) Mussel Survey, Bean Creek Watershed, Hillsdale/Lenawee Counties (2004) –
funded by Water Sentinel Program of Sierra Club, this survey of native freshwater
mussels at 15 locations in the Bean Creek Watershed will be conducted by aquatic
biologists with the Michigan Natural Features Inventory/Michigan State University,
assisted by volunteers from Environmentally Concerned Citizens of South Central
Michigan.