The City of Charlotte has partnered with the Battle Creek River Watershed project to improve the quality of the river. The project included restoring a one mile section of the river in the City of Charlotte to reduce severe stream bank erosion. The waterway was restored to its original meandering state, riffles were installed to enhance the fish habitat, and other measures of restoration were utilized to enhance the overall health of the river. A large element to this project was the removal of the dam once used by the Charlotte Water Works for generation of steam.
Storm water in City of Charlotte all eventually ends up in the Battle Creek. Therefore, it is necessary for all of us to practice good stewardship to protect this resource. There are several ways you can protect the water in the Battle Creek.
Consider using little or no fertilizers on your lawn as that washes off the yard area and into the storm drains. Be certain to not over water your lawn which magnifies the problem.
Seed any bare lawn areas to minimize soil erosion.
Never dump anything down the storm drain.
Minimize the amount of water running into a storm drain by washing your car on the lawn instead of the driveway. This will not only give your lawn a watering, but the grass and soil will naturally filter out some of the harmful chemicals or fluids.
For more information, check out the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality website.
Eaton County Drain Map: Hydrology Viewer (arcgis.com)
PEAS Hotline: Pollution Emergency Alert System (PEAS) Hotline at 800-292-4706
Report an Environmental Emergency (michigan.gov)