Outreach Services

The FotSJR provides education and outreach coordination on watershed projects with our partners. 

• Stormwater Management Education Project - Assisting the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission with workshops related to lawn care practices and landscaping for water quality.
  
  
• St. Joseph River Watershed Fish Migration Barrier Inventory - Assisting the Potawatomi RC&D in gathering local information about fish migration barriers and hosting a workshop on the results of the prioritization process during summer 2011. An inventory of large barriers (i.e. dams) will be completed for the entire watershed. The SJRW Fish Passage Barrier Advisory Committee will use data collected during the inventory to select high priority sub-watersheds for a more detailed field survey. The goal of this project is to prioritize fish passage barriers in the watershed and identify a minimum of ten that meet conditions for immediate removal or further study. To accomplish this goal, the Advisory Committee will:  (1) gather site-specific information about fish passage barriers in the watershed; (2) prioritize obstructions based on the need to provide fish passage at the site and the relative ease of removal; and (3) prepare a strategic plan of actions and funds needed to address the obstruction. The completed report will provide guidance and justification for the funding of barrier removal projects by local partners in the future.
  
  
• St. Joseph River Watershed Wetland Coalition & Media Campaign - Establishing a bi-state Wetland Coalition and media campaign to increase wetland restoration and protection efforts in the St. Joseph River Watershed. This project will assist the FotSJR's strategic plan to become a center for watershed communication and resource for innovation/change by building a strong coalition, publishing quarterly newsletters, increasing member/donor activity and improving the web site. 

Pending Projects:

• Targeted Efforts for Repairing SE Lake Michigan Health
• Funding Source - EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
• Primary Partner - Michigan Department of Agriculture
  
  
• Hodunk-Messenger Chain of Lakes Watershed Implementation Project
• Funding Source - MDNRE 319 Grant Program
• Primary Partner - Branch Conservation District
  
  
• Prairie River Watershed Management Planning Project
• Funding Source - MDNRE 319 Grant Program
• Primary Partner - Branch Conservation District