The Partnership recognizes that we are part of the larger Saginaw Bay Watershed. By working together, we can leverage the resources needed to protect and improve the headwaters of the Saginaw River and Bay. The Partnership can assist your organization in meeting its goals to protect and restore water quality by connecting like-minded individuals, and supporting and recommending funding proposals to the EPA, DEQ, and other local funders who invest in improving water quality and public health.
The Saginaw River and Bay were designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC) in 1987. It is one of 14 AOCs in Michigan identified as having “toxic hot spots” in need of comprehensive remediation and restoration to improve water quality in the Great Lakes. The physical boundary of the Saginaw River/Bay AOC is defined as extending from the head of the Saginaw River, at the confluence of the Shiawassee and Tittabawassee Rivers upstream of the city of Saginaw, to its mouth, including all of Saginaw Bay out to its interface with Lake Huron, at an imaginary line drawn between Au Sable Point and Point Aux Barques.
Recent accomplishments of the Partnership include the removal of the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat, Tainting of Fish or Wildlife Flavor and Restrictions on Drinking Water – Taste Odor Problems Beneficial Use Impairments in the Saginaw River and Bay Area of Concern.
In June of 2016 the Partnership created a Beach Closings Task Group. This group meets on a monthly basis. Purpose of the task force is to develop restoration targets for beaches that are/were closed so frequently that they resulted in Saginaw Bay being listed for the Beach Closings Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI). Criteria for a standard for removing that BUI has been submitted to the GLRI.
September of 2018 the Partnership for Saginaw Bay Watershed Board of Directors formed a Eutrophication Task Group. That Group has formed two sub-committees 1) Education and Outreach 2) Restoration and Delisting. These committees will work toward studying phosphorus usage, educating the community on usage and eventual delisting of the Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI).