An administrator from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration visited Southgate and Dearborn Heights, and drew in mayors and city officials from several Downriver communities looking for solutions to stop flooding in the area.
The meeting with Rick Spinrad, PhD., offered city leaders a first-hand opportunity to look at the infrastructure improvements underway in the southeast portion of the state.
It’s a topic that impacts numerous communities in Dearborn and Downriver
Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi, along with Mayor Lamar Tidwell of Ecorse, Mayor Michael Higgins of Lincoln Park, Mayor Gail McLeod of Allen Park, and Mayor Tim Woolley of Taylor, exchanged information and shared concerns pertaining to infrastructure floods and how it has an impact on their respective cities.
The leaders initially met at the Southgate Downriver Community Conference, then proceeded to Dearborn Heights for a first-hand look at the area in and around Ecorse Creek.
Also attending were representatives of the Illinois-based Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, who confirmed the organization recently announced it has received $1 million in funding through the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (through the National Coastal Resilience Fund) to help support six Great Lakes-area environmental projects in 2024-25.
One of the six projects is targeted to help restore the north branch of Ecorse Creek.
The funding will be used to manage/mitigate flooding, safeguard community assets and improve water quality.
The desired outcomes of the project include creating a safe and accessible recreation destination and environmental asset while contributing to overall improvements in Detroit River water quality and the resilience of the Great Lakes.
The funding comes in addition to some $12 million in funding already earmarked through other resources to help improve the creek area, with another $1.7 million for the design (currently underway) of a detention basin by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the former Inkster Road incinerator site.
First steps of the clean-up/restoration work in and around the creek is expected to begin later this summer.
“The North Branch of Ecorse Creek has experienced flooding for years, which has caused devastating impacts on residents and business owners,” Bazzi said. We are proud and grateful to partner once again with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative to help restore the North Branch of Ecorse Creek and give back a sense of safety and security to surrounding communities.”
Bazzi serves as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors.
According to the Cities Initiative, the Army Corps of Engineers has documented flood risk to transportation assets and housing in the watershed at approximately $22 million annually (2017 dollars).
“President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, fueled by funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is all about getting results for people and the communities where they live and work,” Spinrad said during his visit.
“When completed, this project will help reduce flood risk for up to 200,000 people, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, improve streambank stability, and increase public access and recreational opportunities. It’s a great example of how strategic investments in resilience can help impact a community’s bottom line.”
The Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of over 260 local governments led by mayors and chief elected officers working collaboratively to safeguard the economic, environmental, and social health of communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin.
Through its Resilient Coastal Projects Initiative, the Cities Initiative has supported over 70 cities across the Great Lakes, securing nearly $3 million to date for the design and construction of coastal resilience projects.
Partners for the North Branch of Ecorse Creek project, in addition to the Cities Initiative, include the Downriver Community Conference; seven municipalities along the North Branch of Ecorse Creek; Wayne County; Friends of the Detroit River; and Stantec Consulting Services.
