Watershed official speaks to East Side group

Sue Lossing, education and outreach coordinator for the Flint River Watershed Coalition, spoke to the East Side Business Association Sept. 14.

"A watershed is where your water comes from and where it goes — to a particular stream," Lossing explained. "In our case Lake Huron is where our water comes from and the Flint River and its tributaries is where it goes."

According to Lossing, the Flint River Watershed is made up of 18 smaller watersheds, such as Kearsley Creek and Swartz Creek. Lossing explained the Flint River is 1,639 river miles, is more than 1,358 square miles and encompasses parts of seven counties. It is home to more than 600,000 people.

The upper stretches of Thread Creek, Kearsley Creek and the Flint River South Branch are designated as coldwater fisheries by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The high quality of these streams also means they face the most threat to degradation from development and other land use practices.

Lossing said anything in the water could flow downstream and could be harmful to neighbors. The water that flows past us — over our yards and streets and into the storm drains and roadside ditches — connects us all.

She gave several ways to keep water clean. Wash your car in a carwash where pollutants are treated before discharge into sewers, fertilize sparingly, clean up after pets, use mulch, carefully dispose of household cleaners and chemicals to keep pollution out of storm drains and choose earth-friendly landscaping, she said.

Lossing explained that the Flint River and its tributaries are an important resource for fish and wildlife and provides spawning habitat for small mouth bass, walleye and northern pike.

A member asked if fish caught in the Flint River were safe to eat. Lossing referred the member to the Michigan state fish advisory at (800) 648-6942.

"We've been monitoring the water since 1999 — twice a year at 20 sites," Lossing said.

The coalition also sponsors the Flint River Green, a program designed for students and teachers giving kids a hands-on water testing experience.

Lossing described the work done by the coalition saying, "We are helping nature help itself. Our mission statement, 'Partnering to protect, preserve and improve our watershed,' says it all," Lossing concluded.

David Caswell said the city should take a second look at the Flint River as being the city's source of water rather than piping water in from Lake Huron. "Thirty years ago the city was drinking water from our river," Caswell said.

Go to www.flintriver.org for more information on the coalition.

In other matters:

• Judy Hovey, a member of the city's master plan steering committee, updated the group on the planning progress and asked for input. She said the city has issued a request for proposal for a planning consultant and interview meetings will be taking place the last two weeks of October. She encouraged the public to attend these meetings.
• Joe Banks invited the group to attend the public safety forum sponsored by the Neighborhood Restoration Coalition from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 21 at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 1083 E. Stewart Ave.