Department of Environment
Wayne County’s Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Program
Wayne County Department of Environment (WCDOE) initiated a benthic monitoring program in 2004 to monitor the health of the Middle Rouge River by sampling at the 10 streambank stabilization project site locations. The types and number of benthic macroinvertebrates found are used to assess water quality and the success of the restoration/protection efforts over time. Each team samples these sites under the direction of a trained team leader. Samples of each organism are collected and field identifications are verified in the lab. The program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project and a Clean Michigan Initiative Grant.
Wayne County Department of Environment (WCDOE) also initiated a benthic monitoring program in 2004 to involve a large number of volunteers in monitoring the health of the Alliance of Downriver Watersheds (ADW) by sampling the creeks of that system. The types and number of benthic macroinvertebrates found are used to assess water quality and the success of the restoration/ protection efforts over time. Each team of volunteers samples the sites under the direction of a trained team leader. Samples of each organism are collected and field identifications are verified in the lab. The program was started and supported, in part, by a grant from the Great Lakes Commission, under the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control.
With the two programs, WCDOE monitors over 42 locations in Wayne County. The valuable data for each program can be found below.
Map of Existing Rouge Watershed Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Locations
Map of Existing Alliance of Downriver Watersheds Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Locations
WCDOE Rouge Watershed Bug Hunt Results
Fall 2004
Spring 2005
Fall 2005
Spring 2006
Fall 2006
Spring 2007
Fall 2007
Spring 2008
Fall 2008
Spring 2009
WCDOE Alliance of Downriver Watersheds Bug Hunt Results
Fall 2004
Spring 2005
Fall 2005
Spring 2006
Fall 2006
Spring 2007
Fall 2007
Spring 2008