Clinton River Watershed

Project Description

本项目将评估管理克林顿河的生态和经济上合理的方法. Researchers will utilize stakeholder input, a variety of existing data sources, and hydrologic and economic models to assess the causes, 对当前流动状况的后果和可能的解决办法. 本项目将评估现有及潜在的河道规管政策对以下方面的影响:

• water quality
• fish and wildlife habitat
• recreational opportunities in and along the rive
• flood control
• property values and insurance costs
• taxes, wages and business income
• the influence of lake level control on adjoining lakes
• the effect on lake level control on the watershed

Expected Outcomes
本次综合评估的总体目标是制定一个更全面的, holistic approach to water level management. 该项目将开发政策制定者可用于识别的工具和指标, evaluate, and build consensus for revised flow management policies. 更自然的水流制度有可能创造长期利益，例如改善水质和环境健康, increased recreational opportunities, reduced user conflicts, improved regional economic viability, 并且降低了与湖泊水位控制相关的运营成本.

Get Involved
项目小组将收集包括土地拥有人在内的所有有关人士的意见, lake-owner and riparian owner associations, municipal governments, county agencies, watershed managers, permit agencies, businesses and recreational users. 有关项目和即将举行的公开会议的更多信息，请联系 greatlakes@rockmark.net .
 
For more information about this program go to  http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/ .

Overview of an Integrated Assessment

综合评价项目的目标是综合科学知识，以指导围绕某一特定环境问题的决策. 这些研究项目是评估，因为它们涉及对现有信息的审查和分析. Rather than running additional experiments, 专家总结已知的事实，并超越事实，对这些事实进行评估或评估. These research projects integrate:

• 决策者，以便确定指导决策所需的科学信息
• 利益相关者，通常是与问题有利害关系的社区和商业领袖
• 来自多个学科的知识，特别是物理、生物和社会科学
• 对问题产生的原因和可能的应对措施的分析

Integrated Assessments bring together community leaders, industry representatives, scientists, 决策者确定和评估针对特别困难的环境问题的政策和/或管理方案. 最适合综合评估的问题是那些没有明确原因和缺乏明显解决办法的问题. 这类问题通常是大多数环境可持续性冲突的核心. 

综合评估方法的重点是数据分析, synthesis, modeling, and stakeholder engagement (e.g.、调查、焦点小组、工作坊、小组讨论和互动政策分析). 综合评估可以采取多种形式，但许多形式使用下面的框架. Depending on the needs of decision-makers, 在评估中可能会强调某些目标.

• Define the policy–relevant question
• Document the status and trends of environmental, social, and economic conditions related to the issue
• Describe the causes and consequences of those trends
• Identify desired outcomes and policy options
• 提供各种政策方案下的情况预测
• Provide technical guidance for implementing each option
• 提供对前面步骤的确定程度的评估 

See Michigan Sea Grant Website for more information

Background

80英里长的克林顿河位于密歇根州东南部，其源头在农村和城市化地区，然后流经奥克兰南部和马库姆县的高度城市化地区，最后流入St湖. Clair. 虽然克林顿河的水质在过去30年里有所改善, the river faces a number of environmental challenges, including extreme fluctuation of water flow.

沿着河流的上游，有21个独立的蓄水池——或堰塞湖——阻断了河流的自然流动，并阻碍了流域内鱼类的活动. 大多数由水库形成的湖泊都有一个法院授权的水位，该水位独立于系统中的其他湖泊和下游接收水. 当蓄水池的湖泊控制结构调整时, the result is a sudden, drastic reduction of water flow in the river. 尽管法律要求监管机构进行这些水位调整, 由此产生的河流流量突变对鱼类和野生动物栖息地以及娱乐机会产生不利影响. Additionally, the presence of the impoundments puts many constituents on opposite sides of the issues; residents often have contrasting opinions about lake level control depending on where they are located in the watershed.