Created approximately 125 acres of a self-sustaining Great Lakes coastal emergent wetland bank by restoring a historic, substantially degraded wetland that had been in agricultural production for more than 50 years and preserved 24 acres of high ecological value Great Lakes coastal wetlands in the Au Gres River Banking Watershed. The Au Gres River Wetland Bank has been sited to ensure a successful restoration that maximizes the benefits to the Au Gres River Watershed. The siting of this bank will reduce downstream flooding and improve water quality in the Au Gres River and, ultimately, Lake Huron. The site design and location address several potential threats to the river identified in the Rifle-Au Gres-Tawas Rapid Watershed Assessment (2008), including altered hydrology, sediments, excess nutrients and pollutants (i.e., pathogens, organic compounds, debris and litter), and habitat fragmentation. The bank addresses multiple impairments outlined in the watershed assessment, including restoration of wildlife habitat, assimilation of nutrients, and capturing sediments. The mitigation bank addresses each of these impairments using best management practices (i.e., wetland restoration, conservation cover, groundwater recharge) outlined in the watershed assessment. Bank management activities will also prevent and regulate the spread of non-native species.
