Last updated: October 2024
The Fenkell Stormwater Project in the Brightmoor neighborhood of Detroit is an initiative led by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to mitigate the impact of heavy rain events on the local sewer system. By transforming 92 Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) parcels into 24 bioretention gardens, the project aims to significantly reduce street flooding and basement backups in the area. These gardens, spread across approximately 50 acres of mostly vacant land, utilize permeable soils and landscaping techniques to absorb excess rainfall, which helps prevent the overloading of the city’s combined sewer system. This is particularly important in reducing combined sewer overflows (CSOs), which occur when the system's capacity is exceeded during heavy rains, leading to untreated stormwater and sewage being discharged into the Rouge River. The project is expected to manage and treat about nine million gallons of stormwater annually, making a significant impact on both the neighborhood’s infrastructure and the environment. In addition to the bioretention gardens, the project includes the partial removal of Blackstone Street between Keeler and Midland streets to further enhance stormwater management. Community engagement has been a critical component of the project, with residents of Brightmoor and Minock Park participating in meetings to share their preferences for the types of trees, plantings, and other features. The DWSD will maintain the gardens under its Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) program, which already includes 19 other similar projects across the city. The project is currently in the construction phase and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, modernizing Brightmoor’s stormwater infrastructure and providing long-term environmental and community benefits. (Ref.1-3)
Design of the decommissioning of a portion of Blackstone Street between Keeler and Midland Street to turning into a large green area for water retention.
Ref.4
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Green areas for water management
- Rain gardens
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Environmental and climate justice
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- River flooding
- Urban flooding (stormwater)
- Environmental Degradation
- Poor water quality
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens), Transformation of previously derelict areas, Transformation of vacant land into green spaces, Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities
Project objectives
To reduce sewage overflows into the Rouge River.
To improve the water quality of the Rouge River.
To install bio-retention practices on vacant land and direct storm-water runoff to these practices.
To remove impervious surfaces and install trees and native plants to treat storm-water caused by flooding and heavy rains
To decommission a portion of Blackstone Street between Keeler and Midland Street to create an urban forest with over 200 trees for storm-water management.
To address environmental justice concerns by improving the tree canopy, creating habitats, and providing pedestrian mobility and recreational opportunities in a historically undeserved and socially vulnerable neighborhood.
To potentially increase property values of surrounding residential housing, thereby adding significant social and economic value to the neighborhood.
To involve the local community throughout the design phase process
(Ref.3-5)
Implementation activities
The Detroit Sewage and Water Department has finalized the design phase of the project based on valuable community feedback gathered from several community-wide meetings. A meeting with the residents directly adjacent to the project sites was held on May 23, 2023 to announce the project. DWSD will continue to host community engagement and update meetings throughout the project, including a pre-construction meeting.As part of the assessment process, pre-construction in-pipe flow monitoring is being conducted at strategic locations to evaluate the effectiveness of these projects in reducing combined sewer flows.
Currently, in the implementation phase for the removal of 460 feet of Blackstone Street between Keeler and Midland Street—where an urban forest with over 200 trees will be created for stormwater management—the dead-end street has been modified to include a turnaround for emergency vehicles, following guidance from the City of Detroit Department of Public Works. Furthermore, the project will transform 92 Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) parcels into 24 bioretention gardens. The project is still in its early construction phase, which primarily involves site assessment.
(Ref.4-6)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
- Marginalized groups: Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed), Disadvantaged ethnic or racial groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) - part of the City of Detroit is working with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in this project and they provide capital improvement funds and oversees project execution.
The project includes robust community outreach, such as meetings, surveys, and design charrettes, to involve residents in decision-making processes.
Funding Organizations:
-Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
-National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
-U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture
Several private actors are involved in consultations and implementation of the project.
(Ref.4)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(DWSD has a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit obligation to significantly reduce combined sewer overflows by 2037 (Ref.5))
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Brightmoor Neighborhood Framework Plan (Ref. 11))
Type of enablers
Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
€2,000,000 - €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public national budget
- Public regional budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Storm / wave induced erosion and flooding
- Expected storm / wave induced erosion and flooding
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Expected improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Expected improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Expected increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Increased property prices
- Expected increased property prices
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
- Expected stimulate development in deprived areas
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Expected improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Expected improved access to urban green space
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Staff Writer (2023). DWSD Implements 24 Bioretention Gardens on West Side for Fenkell Stormwater Project. Michigan Chronicle, [Source link];
2.
Cwiek, S. (2023). More green infrastructure coming to Detroit's Brightmoor neighborhood. Michigan Public, Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Water and Sewerage Department (2023). Fenkell Stormwater Projects. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Water and Sewerage Department (2023). FINAL DWSD Community Meeting 05232023. [Source link];
5.
Wallick, L. (2024). Addressing Combined Sewer Overflows in the Brightmoor Neighborhood of Detroit through Community Driven Nature Based Solutions. Access Water, Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Water and Sewerage Department (2024). Brightmoor Stormwater Improvement Projects Update 2024 March. [Source link];
7.
Niche (n.d.). Brightmoor Demographics and Statistics. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Aimery, J. (2023). Water department proposes $3.4M initiative to reduce Detroit street flooding. The Detroit News, Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Water and Sewerage Department (2023). DWSD to install 24 bioretention gardens on westside as part of grant-funded Fenkell Stormwater Projects. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Water and Sewerage Department (2024). Brightmoor Area Framework Plan Parks & OpenSpace Focus Group. Accessed on September 24, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Water and Sewerage Department (2023). Press Release - DWSD to install 24 bioretention gardens on westside as part of grant-funded Fenkell Stormwater Projects.;
Educational design of a green stormwater infrastructure system
Ref.4
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.