1. A M E R I C A N H E R I T A G E R I V E R S
DETROIT RIVER (MI)
Recreating Our Gathering Place
In 1998, the Detroit River was honored to
be one of the 14 American Heritage Rivers
(AHR) in the United States designated by
Presidential Executive Order. In that same
year the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition
(MAC) adopted the initiative as one of its
major programs and agreed to lead and man-
age the effort. With the assistance of MAC,
an agreement was reached with the U.S.
Department of Transportation to fund the
services of a River Navigator for the first five
years of the initiative. Specifically, the River
Navigator position, office space, and related
support came from the St. Lawrence Seaway
Development Corporation, U.S. Coast Guard,
and Federal Highway Administration.
Without this distinctive collaboration with
the federal government and leadership and
support of MAC, this work – so crucial to our
region – would not have been possible. The
Greater Detroit AHR Initiative established a
unique public-private partnership along the Detroit River for setting priorities and delivering resources
for projects that foster environmental stewardship, promote economic development,
and celebrate our unique history and culture.
Historically, the Detroit River served as an attraction and “gathering place” for
wildlife and Native Americans, and later, European settlers. But over time we have lost
much of our connection to this great natural resource and, at times, literally turned
our back on it. Now, after decades of neglect and pollution, and with the help of the
AHR Initiative, the Detroit River is once again becoming a gathering place for wildlife
and families. And the river is also increasingly being recognized as a key factor in
enhancing our quality of life and making the region more competitive in attracting
businesses as well as the workers they need for our 21st century economy.
Enhanced true-color image of the Detroit River, an international strait
between Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie, Spring 2001 (NASA Landsat 7
Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus, from Ron Beck, USGS Land
Processes Data Center, Satellite Systems Branch,

2. S T A T E O F T H E R I V E R R E P O R T 2 0 0 4 2
DETROIT RIVER
2004 ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS
This State of the River report has been prepared to share the successes of the Greater Detroit AHR Initiative, with
particular emphasis on the fifth year. Key projects and improvements along the Detroit River in 2004 included:
• Two New Lighthouses Erected on the River – The
Mariners’ Memorial Lighthouse in River Rouge and the
Tri-Centennial State Park Lighthouse in Detroit were dedi-
cated. These lighthouses provide beacons for freighters and
fishermen as well as honor the region’s rich maritime histo-
ry and signal a new era of waterfront revitalization.
• Sturgeon Spawning Reef Constructed – Michigan Sea
Grant and its numerous partners completed construction of
a spawning reef for sturgeon off Belle Isle. Sturgeon repro-
duction has only recently been documented in the Detroit
River as a result of many decades of pollution control.
• Bald Eagles Born – Two eaglets were hatched on BASF
Corporation’s Fighting Island, further demonstrating the
continued improvement of the environmental quality of
the Detroit River ecosystem.
• New State Park Dedicated – Michigan’s first urban state
park, Tri-Centennial State Park, was dedicated along the
Detroit RiverWalk in downtown Detroit. Also, the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources and the Detroit
Riverfront Conservancy received $1.3 million for an innova-
tive urban stormwater control project in the park.
• Plans Made for Improving the Gateway to Detroit River
International Wildlife Refuge – Wayne County received
Coastal Zone Management funding to undertake landscape
architecture design of the former Chrysler Site adjacent to
Humbug Island and Marsh, which will be the gateway to the Detroit River International Wildlife
Refuge. A visitors’ center and adminis-
trative offices for the refuge will be con-
structed on this site, along with trails,
wildlife outlooks, outdoor classroom,
canoe/kayak landing, and more.
• Clean Up of Black Lagoon
Underway – Full-scale remediation
of contaminated sediment in Black
Lagoon began. This is the “first
domino” to fall in a multi-phase
effort to revitalize and redevelop
this critical section of the lower
Detroit River waterfront.
Mariners’ Memorial Lighthouse,
River Rouge, MI (Anthony
Laginess)
Tri-Centennial Park Lighthouse,
Detroit, MI (Michigan Dept. of
Natural Resources)
Bald Eagle Nest, Fighting Island, Detroit R. (BASF Corporation)
Dredging underway in the Black Lagoon, Trenton, MI (MAC)

3. S T A T E O F T H E R I V E R R E P O R T 2 0 0 4 3
DETROIT RIVER
• Humbug Island and Marsh Preserved –
Humbug Island and Marsh was acquired
by the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to pre-
vent development of 410 acres of environ-
mentally sensitive land and one mile of
natural shoreline. TPL transferred the par-
cel to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for
incorporation into the Detroit River
International Wildlife Refuge. This last
mile of natural shoreline on the U.S. main-
land of the Detroit River is now preserved
for future generations.
• Shoreline Restored at Grosse Ile Nature
Area –The second phase of Detroit River
shoreline rehabilitation began at the
Grosse Ile Nature Area. This project is
particularly significant because 97% of the
coastal wetlands along the Detroit River
have been lost to development.
• Greenway Trail Expanded –The Flat Rock-Rockwood-Brownstown East West greenway trail was
opened for runners, bicyclists, and walkers. It connects 4,000 acres of parkland in the Huron River
watershed with 4,800 acres of parkland and state game area off the lower Detroit River.
• Vision for the Lower Detroit Riverfront Created – Metropolitan Affairs Coalition unveiled a vision poster/map
titled “Charting the Course” for the lower Detroit River waterfront. This unique poster/map is being used to
catalyze further efforts to revitalize the waterfront and won two statewide awards for excellence.
Humbug Island and Marsh, Detroit R. (BASF Corporation)
Soft Engineering Approach to Shoreline Restoration, Gross Ile, MI – before and after. (Nativescape, LLC)

4. S T A T E O F T H E R I V E R R E P O R T 2 0 0 4 4
DETROIT RIVER
The achievements of the AHR Initiative in 2004 were remarkable. It is even more impressive
to note that over its five-year history, the Greater Detroit American Heritage River Initiative has
leveraged over $43 million in public and private funding for river related projects.
CONTINUING LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
In 2004, the Greater Detroit AHRI continued to grow and evolve toward a self-sufficient, community-driven
partnership of government at all levels, businesses, universities, and nonprofit organizations. With the anticipated
sunset of the five-year federal River Navigator support, the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition agreed to continue leading
and supporting the Greater Detroit AHR Initiative because of the significant results it is producing in enhancing the
river and revitalizing waterfront communities. Under this arrangement, the AHR Executive Committee of the
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition provides oversight and key regional leadership. A new “River Team” now provides
staff support for the continuing Greater Detroit AHR Initiative. It is comprised of staff members from Metropolitan
Affairs Coalition, Michigan Sea Grant Extension, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Detroit River International
Wildlife Refuge. In addition, since the AHR designation is permanent, the national Interagency AHRI Task Force
still provides Detroit with high visibility, technical assistance, links to federal funding opportunities, and networking
with other American Heritage Rivers.
In the next few years, the Initiative expects to assist and support a number of project opportunities that will con-
tinue the Detroit River’s grand transformation, including help for:
• The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to complete the 3.5-mile Detroit RiverWalk and realize economic
redevelopment of adjacent properties in downtown Detroit;
• Wayne County to construct the visitors’ center and administrative offices of the Detroit River
International Wildlife Refuge at the former Chrysler Paint Plant site at the lower end of the Detroit
River;
• The City of Trenton to enhance shoreline habitat at Black Lagoon, following completion of sediment
remediation, and help stimulate appropriate economic development of adjacent properties in both
Trenton and the City of Riverview;
3.1
8.2
13.5
28.3
43.1
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
MillionsofDollars

5. S T A T E O F T H E R I V E R R E P O R T 2 0 0 4 5
DETROIT RIVER
• The Downriver Linked Greenways to build additional greenways trails to the river;
• Developing the vision and first phase of a heritage water trail for canoeing and kayaking in the lower
Huron and Detroit Rivers; and,
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue enhancing the Detroit River International Wildlife
Refuge through cooperative management agreements and habitat projects.
Much has already been accomplished, but the best is yet to come!
Greater Detroit AHR River Team
David Sanders
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (LEAD)
sanders@mac-web.org, 313.961.2270
Barry Murray
Michigan Sea Grant Extension
murray@mac-web.org, 313.961.2270
John Hartig
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge
john_hartig@fws.gov, 734.692.7608