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Hello, our names are Katie Brown, Jack Maniaci, and Anna Watson, and with our project we hope to provide an array of useful and sustainable solutions to consider for the improvement of the water quality and stormwater management practices within Montague, Michigan. Below is a short informational video on why stormwater management is so important in an urban setting.
Background
Background
Montague is a city located in western Michigan, a bit north of Muskegon on the coast of White Lake. The city of Montague recently signed a Climate Emergency Ordinance, committing their city to improve its sustainability practices. Through that ordinance, they have initiated the Climate Mobilization Action Plan where they will work on several projects throughout the years to work towards their sustainability goals.
One area they focused on in their plan was related to stormwater management, in particular the controlling of runoff into White Lake, which was once listed as an EPA Area of Concern. The further protection of this vital water source became the main focus of our studies.
The city of Montague has several steep streets, meaning heavily salting roads during the winter months is required to ensure safe driving for citizens. One of the main streets is on an intense hill that leads directly to a bridge over White Lake. This causes issues when the weather warms and snowmelt runs down the steep roads, collecting salt as it flows directly into White Lake. The change in salinity of that area kills off vegetation and wildlife. The area's large hills also lead to abundant flooding, causing issues with traffic and infrastructure.
We hope to assist in addressing the problem of stormwater runoff contributing to pollution and environmental damage in White Lake, the surrounding watershed, and the neighboring environments, and improve the education and resources for the community about this issue.
Design Thinking Process
Design Thinking Process
We started our project with empathy interviews. We interviewed three individuals with knowledge of stormwater practices, and the specific issues White Lake has had to combat in the past. These interviews helped us better understand the wants and needs of the city and its residents, as well as the resources that they have. They also helped us understand feelings about the facts that we had previously researched.
We then defined the problem as a need to address the problem of stormwater runoff that is leading to environmental degradation in and around White Lake. We also defined a need to improve education resources in the community about the issue.
Next, as part of the ideation stage, we used the affinity diagrams method to brainstorm possible solutions and sort them based on common themes.
Our prototype stage involved creating a menu of options that could be presented to the city of Montague. This way the city officials and residents could choose an option that would best suit their Climate Mobilization Action Plan. These possible solutions are listed below.
Our goal is to provide an array of some solutions we found to be feasible for the city and community while also being effective means to improve stormwater management. Below are some options we found had both desired characteristics.
These solutions could be funded by city funds, donations, or grants. The city has considered applying for a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) grant. They provide grants for stormwater control practices, coastal management, and pollution prevention, all of which relate to our different solutions.
Our Potential Solutions
Our Potential Solutions
Conclusion
Conclusion
While the issue may seem overwhelming, it is clear that through human ingenuity and the examples provided there are many viable ways to better our environmental impacts on both a large and small scale. The low-impact development options explored provide an array of affordable, sustainable, and non-intrusive solutions to stormwater management, while the alternatives to road salt help tackle one of the most significant issues at its source. On top of these development options, education was found to be a key need within the area, leading to the idea of a central hub one can turn to for information on sustainability. The hope is that one can utilize this facility to learn and grow an understanding of our ecological footprint and how to live more sustainably. We appreciate you taking the time out of your day to learn more about our research and how improve the environmental health and wellness of tomorrow's Montague.
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