Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge - History

History

Much of the land surrounding the Detroit River is urbanized and, in some places, heavily industrialized. This has resulted in excessive water pollution from the unregulated dumping of chemicals and industrial waste for many decades. Much of the garbage and sewage from Detroit's rapid industrialization found its way into the river. Much of the Detroit River and its shoreline were heavily polluted and unsafe for recreational use. Large quantities of this pollution collected around the mouth of the Detroit River at Lake Erie. The pollutants were so high after the spring thaw that thousands of migrating birds were killed by oil slicks and contaminated water every year. Oxygen levels in the river were depleted to the point where fish were unable to inhabit its waters. Because much of this pollution drained into and affected Lake Erie, portions of the lake itself were considered “dead” and unable to support aquatic life. Swimming in the water or consuming any of its remaining fish were considered health risks.

In 1961, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was founded by congressional order thanks in part to Michigan politician John Lesinski, Jr., who was Michigan's 16th congressional district representative from 1951–1965. The refuge paved the way for tighter restrictions on industries and allocated much needed government funding to clean up the river. However, there was little support from Detroit businesses toward cleaning up the river, because it would negatively affect Detroit's industrialism and economy. In 1970, the entire fishing industry in the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie had to be temporarily closed due to toxic levels of mercury found in the water. This caused the fishing industry and all those related to lose substantial amounts of money. This, in turn, spurred a massive conservation effort aimed at cleaning up the Detroit River. For years before, conservation efforts were halted by the enormous multi-million dollar cost of removing pollutants from the river. In addition to that, industries, which had significant political influence, detested the regulations necessary to lessen the amount of pollutants in the river. The Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was very small though and only occupied the area surrounding Grassy Island, and the refuge's existence could not prevent Grassy Island from becoming highly contaminated from toxic soil dredged from the nearby River Rouge.

In 2001, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was absorbed into the much larger Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which was largely advocated by veteran Michigan representative John Dingell. The refuge was officially signed into law as the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Establishment Act (H.R. 1230) by President George W. Bush on December 21, 2001. The Congressional Budget Office originally estimated that the creation of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge would cost between $13–21 million over the first five years, in which the majority of the money spent would be through land acquisitions.

Millions of dollars so far have been used for land acquisitions and to improve the environment around the river. The recent cleaning up and restoration of the Detroit River is remarkable, although other problems are still at hand. Today, many species of native animals — some endangered species — are returning to the area after being driven out by human development. The Detroit River is home to a growing number of bird species, such as eagles (including reintroduced bald eagles), ospreys, and peregrine falcons. Fish species in abundance in the area include lake whitefish, sturgeon, salmon, perch, and walleye. Numerous mammal species also occupy the coastline throughout the refuge. The area serves as a vital migratory route and resting place for countless species of birds. Over 30 species of waterfowl, 17 species of raptors, 31 species of shore­birds, 160 species of songbirds, and 117 species of fish live along or regularly migrate through the Detroit River.