|
Clinton River (Michigan)
Project Status: modeling
is complete
River Basin
Characteristics
The Clinton River is located just north of Detroit, MI, and flows 80
miles from its headwaters to Lake St. Clair near the city of Mt. Clemens.
The total watershed area encompasses 760 square miles and includes portions
of Oakland and Macomb counties and small areas of Lapeer and St. Clair
counties.
The basin has two distinct
topographic regions; the upper region has more relief and steeper channels
and the lower region has flatter topography and channel slopes. Land
use within the watershed also varies drastically: the northern region
is primarily rural, the middle region consists of rapidly-developing
suburbs, and the southern portion is primarily urban. More than 1.6
million people in 56 municipalities inhabit the watershed. Stormwater
runoff is a critical source of water quality degradation within the
watershed, along with rapid urban expansion and loss of wildlife habitat.
Modeling Approach
The primary objective of the Tributary Modeling project for the Clinton
River was to estimate the amount of sediment entering the system for
various land use scenarios. The model also determines the streamflow
and sediment load throughout the river and predicts scour and deposition
zones. The SWAT model was used to simulate runoff and
sediment transport through the entire watershed. More detailed models
using GSSHA were developed for three subwatersheds:
Paint Creek and Galloway Creek in Oakland County and the Middle Branch
of the Clinton River in Macomb County to look at the effects of small-scale
BMPs. The EFDC model was used to investigate the complex
hydrodynamics and sediment deposition patterns in the lower reaches
of the Clinton River.
Use and Applications
3D modeling gives watershed managers and ecologists a visual medium
in which to view and track sedimentation patterns at the confluence
of the Clinton River and its spillway. Macomb and Oakland counties will
also use the model to better manage erosion and sedimentation issues
associated with urban development.
Project Partners
Baird
& Associates
Macomb
County: Commissioners, Public Works Dept., Planning Commission
Oakland
County Planning Dept.
SE Michigan Council
of Governments (SEMCOG)
Michigan Dept.
of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
U.S. Geological Survey
USDA Natural Resource
Conservation Service (NRCS)
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
For more information—or to obtain a CD-ROM
for advanced modeling purposes—contact:
James P. Selegean, P.E., Ph.D.
Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Office
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Detroit District
477 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226
Office: (313) 226-6791
Fax: (313) 226-2398
James.P.Selegean@usace.army.mil
|
Designated
Great Lakes Area of Concern
