Links

American Planning Association
The American Planning Association brings together thousands of people — practicing planners, citizens, elected officials — committed to making great communities happen.

American Rivers: Rivers Connect Us
American Rivers is making a significant impact on the health of rivers and communities nationwide. We are ensuring clean water supplies, revitalizing fish and wildlife habitat, improving recreation, and leaving a legacy of healthy rivers for generations to come.

Environmental Protection Agency - A Watershed Approach
A watershed approach is the most effective framework to address today's water resource challenges. Watersheds supply drinking water, provide recreation and respite, and sustain life. More than $450 billion in food and fiber, manufactured goods, and tourism depends on clean water and healthy watersheds.

Environmental Protection Agency - Lake Huron Drainage Basin
Information on Lake Huron and the Lake Huron Drainage Basin.

Environmental Protection Agency - Watersheds
Information and links for watersheds in the United States.

Environmental Protection Agency - Watershed Management Modules
Online watershed training and information modules.

Great Lakes Aquatic Non-Indigenous Species Information System
Listing of Non-Indigenous species with common and scientific names, content of origin, first year collected, and status of the species in the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was launched in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world — the Great Lakes. This site explains the program and lists grant recipients and their stories.

Huron Pines
Huron Pines is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to conserve the forests, lakes and streams of Northeast Michigan. This mission is accomplished by coordinating large scale river restoration, watershed management, conservation leadership and land stewardship projects. This site details the projects and programs coordinated by Huron Pines.

Managing Shoreline Property to Protect Water Quality
If you live on lake or stream property, you have a special responsibility to prevent pollutants from entering the water.  This supplement lists some special water quality concerns for shoreline property owners and actions you can take.

Michigan Association of Planning
The Michigan Association of Planning (MAP) is a 501 c 3 organization, dedicated to promoting sound community planning that benefits the residents of Michigan.

Michigan DEQ
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Website.

Michigan DEQ - Non-Point Source Pollution
Michigan's Nonpoint Source Program assists local units of government, non-profit entities, and numerous other state, federal, and local partners to reduce nonpoint source pollution statewide.

Michigan DEQ - Wetlands Protection Webpage
This site defines what a wetland is, and why it is important to protect and restore wetlands.

Michigan DNR Grant Programs
Site listing all of the Grant Programs and guidelines available from the Michigan DNR.

Michigan Invasive Species Coalition
Information on invasive species in Michigan including identification and how to report an invasive.

Michigan Lake & Stream Associations
Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Incorporated (ML&SA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation made up of organizations, corporations, associations and individuals who share our goal of preserving and protecting Michigan’s vast heritage of freshwater resources.

Michigan Natural Features Inventory
The Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) program conducts field surveys to locate and identify threatened and endangered species and communities throughout the state, creates and maintains a database of all relevant species and community locations, provides data summaries and analysis in support of environmental reviews, and provides biological expertise to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership
Promoting natural shoreline landscaping to protect Michigan's inland lakes.

Michigan State University Extension: Lakes, Streams & Watersheds
Michigan State University Extension’s focus on lakes, streams and watersheds brings together educators and researchers with local, state, regional and federal agencies and stakeholder organizations to protect and promote the sustainable use of the state’s distinctive aquatic resources.

Michigan State University Extension: Water Quality
Protecting and improving the quality of Michigan’s water resources is critical for our state’s future. MSU Extension educators and researchers work with community leaders to create water-protection strategies, landowners and industry to reduce risks of water pollution, and state agencies to develop water quality information systems.

Michigan Water Stewardship Program
This site provides property owners, youth, and educators tools to learn about the importance of taking care of Michigan's fresh water.

MiCorps: Michigan Clean Water Corps
The Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) is a network of volunteer monitoring programs in Michigan. It was created through Michigan Executive Order #2003-15 to assist the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in collecting and sharing water quality data for use in water resources management and protection programs.

Minnesota DNR Division of Ecological and Water Resources
Informative links related to water quality and water resources from the Minnesota DNR.

MiSWIM System
Welcome to the Michigan Surface Water Information Management (MiSWIM) System. This application is an interactive map-based system that allows users to view information about Michigan's surface water. Users are able to view and download data collected by the DEQ and DNR from surface water monitoring sites located throughout Michigan.

MSU Turfgrass Science
This site offers information on the proper way to care for your lawn while protecting water quality in your watershed.

Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative
The Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (NEMI GLSI) is a regional network of education and community partners working to promote quality place-based or community-based education opportunities in northeast Michigan for the benefit of our youth, our community, and our environment.

Rain Gardens
Since 2003, Rain Garden Network has been helping individuals, groups and communities understand the importance of rain gardens, rainwater harvesting and identifying and planning the diversion of rainwater away from streets and sewers.

Restore Your Shore
Restore Your Shore is a powerful tool for shoreland owners and professionals to use in implementing shoreland restoration and protection projects.

River Restoration in Northern Michigan
Through this website a variety of river restoration needs and accomplishments for the identified watersheds in Northern Michigan are being tracked by a network of private, state, federal and tribal entities. You can use this website to search for road/stream crossing and streambank erosion sites by watersheds or counties.

Score Your Shore: A Citizen Shoreline Description Survey
Score Your Shore is a tool to assess habitat conditions of developed lake lots.

Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Founded in 1979, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is the lead organization for water resources protection in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties. The Watershed Council speaks for our members, including full-time and seasonal residents, lake associations, and businesses. We work to maintain the environmental integrity and economic and aesthetic values of the Great Lakes, Inland Lakes, Rivers and Streams, Wetlands and Groundwater.

Using Goats to Fight Invasive Species
This article explains the benefits of using goats to control invasive weeds.

Wetland Types
EPA site educating on the different types of wetlands.

What is Stormwater and Why Is It an Issue?
This site explains why stormwater management helps to preserve water quality.