Introduction | Description | Stakeholders | Products | Stormwater Education | Contacts

Rein in the Runoff Final Project Report (September 2009); Revised January 2010:

Cover Page, Acknowledgements, and Table of Contents
Glossary of Terms
Chapter 1: Introduction and Background
Chapter 2: Conditions in the Spring Lake Watershed related to Stormwater Pollution
Chapter 3: Stakeholder Education and Participation
Chapter 4: Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Chapter 5: Economic Analysis of Stormwater Management Alternatives
Chapter 6: Population Growth and Stormwater Pollution
Chapter 7: Rein in the Runoff Products and Resultant Projects
Chapter 8: Rein in the Runoff Conclusions and Next Steps
Literature Cited
Appendix A: Datasets and Hydrologic Models
Appendix B: Rein in the Runoff Integrated Assessment Project Flyers
Appendix C: Stakeholder Presentations for the Rein in the Runoff Integrated Assessment Project
Appendix D: Rein in the Runoff Water Quality Surveys
Appendix E: Rein in the Runoff Citizens Guide to Stormwater in the Spring Lake Watershed
Appendix F: BMP Review and Analysis
Appendix G: Model Stormwater Ordinance and Performance Standards
Appendix H: Animal Waste Management Ordinances
Appendix I: Stakeholder Education and Outreach Resources
Appendix J: Stormwater Utility Ordinance Guidance
Appendix K: Population Allocation Model (PAM)
Appendix L: Rein in the Runoff Spring Lake Watershed Atlas
Appendix M: Rein in the Runoff Scientific and Policy Publications and Presentations

Rein in the Runoff Citizens Guide to Stormwater

The Rein in the Runoff Citizens Guide to Stormwater is an abbreviated version of the full Project Report, targeting the residents of the Spring Lake Watershed. This guide summarizes the Integrated Assessment processes and outcomes, and provides information directly relevant to how individuals can manage and control stormwater runoff associated with their own activities.

Conceptual Ecological Model for Stormwater:
Managing stormwater runoff is one of the most vexing water resource problems facing urban regions. Despite incomplete understanding and imperfect information, it is essential that resource agencies, institutions, and municipalities continue to move forward to resolve environmental challenges. One mechanism to assist this process is the development of conceptual ecological models. These models provide a framework for thinking about how natural systems function, how they have been altered by human-induced stressors, and how they can be managed. This provides planners, resource managers, and elected officials with information to help them focus on the best design and assessment strategy (Ogden et al. 2005). Our conceptual ecological model for stormwater runoff begins with the key ecosystem drivers affecting stormwater: land use change results in more impervious surface, management activities (or lack thereof) result in increased nonpoint source pollution, and climate change affects hydrology. Below the drivers are the stressors to the ecosystem. The influence of hydrology on stormwater impacts is pervasive, as this driver connects to all stressors (cf. Walsh et al. 2005). The stressors impact ecological structure and function, which can also be viewed as potential indicators of stress. Ultimately, society determines what values it places on environmental resources and ecosystem services; this model proposes three possible values (fish and aquatic fauna, water quality, and native vegetation), although depending on the ecosystem and the stakeholders, a very different set of societal values may emerge, which in turn may affect the structure of the conceptual model.

Spring Lake Watershed Atlas:

The project team developed a variety of watershed maps to explain and help visualize the Rein in the Runoff project. In addition, the maps describe the scope, current watershed conditions, and expected and potential future outcomes associated with current stormwater management practices, and the results of this Integrated Assessment. This map atlas also includes the results of the Spring Lake Shoreline Assessment project, which was funded by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation to complement the Rein in the Runoff Project, and the preliminary results of the functional wetlands assessment for the Spring Lake Watershed, which is part of a landscape level functional assessment of the wetlands in the Lower Grand River Watershed, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5.

Cover Page and Table of Contents
Section 1: Project Overview
Section 2: Population and Land Use
Section 3: Underlying Watershed Characteristics
Section 4: Model Results and BMP Applications
Section 5: Shoreline Assessment
Shoreline Assessment Index Map
Shoreline Assessment  Area 1
Shoreline Assessment  Area 2
Shoreline Assessment  Area 3
Appendix A: Wetlands Assessment

Full-sized copies of the atlas are available with copies of the full project report for on-site review at AWRI, Spring Lake Township, the Village of Spring Lake, and the City of Ferrysburg. A reference copy and circulation copy will be provided to the Spring Lake Library, 123 East Exchange Street, Spring Lake, MI 49456.

Digital copies of the Rein in the Runoff, Spring Lake Watershed Atlas are available to order for $5, which includes domestic, U.S. Postal Service, 1st class shipping, from AWRI. To order, please contact Elaine Sterrett Isely: (616) 331-3749 or [email protected].

Grant Resources:

The project team identified potential funding sources for stormwater management, low impact development (LID), or other nonpoint source pollution control projects to assist local stakeholders with finding potential sources of grants or loans. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of grants or funding sources available; each funding source, program, or agency should be contacted directly to determine current funding priorities, application deadlines, and eligibility.

 

Academic and Technical Publications and Presentations:

Isely, E.S. and A.D. Steinman 2008. Rein in the Runoff: Storm Water Management In Spring Lake. Grand Valley State University, R.B. Annis Water Resources Institute, Water Resources Review 21(1): 1.

Isely, E.S. and A.D. Steinman. Alternative Stormwater Management Practices in Spring Lake (MI). Rein in the Runoff: An Integrated Assessment. Poster session by E.S. Isely at the International Low Impact Development Conference, Seattle, WA (11/17  19/08).

Isely, E.S. and A.D. Steinman. Alternative Stormwater Management Practices in Spring Lake (MI). Rein in the Runoff: An Integrated Assessment. Poster session by E.S. Isely at the North American Benthological Society Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI (5/18  21/09).

Isely, E.S. and A. Steinman 2009. Spring Lake Area Residents Are Learning How To Rein in the Runoff. Michigan Water Environment Association, MWEA Matters 5(2): 34-35.

References:

Ogden, J.C., S.M. Davis, K.J. Jacobs, T. Barnes, and H.E. Fling. 2005. The use of conceptual ecological models to guide ecosystem restoration in south Florida. Wetlands 25: 795-809.

Walsh, C.J., A.H. Roy, J.F. Feminella, P.D. Cottingham, P.M. Groffman, and R.P. Morgan II. 2005. The urban stream syndrome: current knowledge and the search for a cure. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 24: 706-723.