Using Community Power to Address Flooding in Detroit
When it rains in Detroit, there is an increased risk of flooding in many neighborhoods. Even relatively small amounts of rain in some locations result in road and basement flooding. Several Detroit community groups are working with Freshwater Future to document flooding and push for solutions desired by neighborhood residents. One community group, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, is engaging youth to collect flooding data with the Flood Focus App to identify the worst flooding in the neighborhood. You can learn more about this impactful program in this Planet Detroit article.
Photo Credits: A flooded intersection in Detroit, taken by Raquel Garcia; Kwame Hampton, Freshwater Future, and Jaike Spotted Wolf, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, training community members on the Flood Focus app
May 29th @ 11:30 ET – Join Our Monthly Mindfulness + Movement Practice for Water Protectors!
Each month, we gather for a wellness practice called Mindfulness and Movement to help you reduce stress and re-energize your water work. Please join us for our next session, Thursday, May 29th at 11:30 am ET, led by Jonathan Relucio, a mindfulness expert with 20+ years of experience. Register to join our next 45 minute session and share the invite with your colleagues and friends.!
A New Fight for Water Protection: New York’s Great Lakes and State Water Bill of Rights!
What if the Great Lakes had the legal right to exist and thrive? New York’s recently introduced Bill of Rights for water could change how we protect the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth from pollution, privatization, and exploitation. Read more about it in our blog!
Update: Syracuse, NY Water System Under Review by U.S. EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing Syracuse’s water system, which includes water system inspections and audits of systems records. Last summer, the City found dangerously high lead levels after using improper testing methods for collecting water samples, including collecting samples from outside hoses. A follow-up round of sampling reported much lower levels of lead, below the EPA lead action level. Because no amount of lead is safe to drink, the EPA’s inspection is a critical step on the path to ensuring the water is safe and restoring public trust and pushing for lasting infrastructure fixes to guarantee safe, lead-free water for all residents. For information on how to keep your family safe from lead in drinking water, check out our No Lead is Safe Toolkit.
Duluth’s $3 Million Lake Superior Shoreline Project
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is constructing $3 million in improvements to the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Duluth, Minnesota to provide needed upgrades to a pedestrian walkway used by over 1.5 million visitors annually. The project also includes shoreline protection to reduce erosion from weather and wave damage. At a time when federal funds are being frozen, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects are moving forward. Freshwater Future is glad to see the Army Corps of Engineers take on these critical projects for the Great Lakes. Funding for other restoration and protection efforts from other agencies, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, should receive the same treatment.
