1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Detroit (FUA)
Region
Northern America
Short description of the intervention
The Far West Detroit neighborhood faces significant challenges with its aging infrastructure. The neighborhood’s stormwater and sewer systems are combined into a single system that is only capable of handling a limited volume. During heavy rain events, the system's capacity is exceeded, causing excess stormwater and untreated sewage to overflow into the Rouge River, which negatively impacts the environment (Ref. 1).
Detroit is investing $40 million in a transformative stormwater management system in the Far West neighborhood near Rouge Park. Described by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department as the largest project of its kind, it will redirect 98 million gallons of rainwater and snowmelt into two new detention basins and a renovated sewer system. The new wastewater system is expected to significantly reduce water volumes in Detroit’s combined sewer system during heavy rainfall and to provide flood relief for approximately 1,200 homes that have experienced flooding in recent years. This expansion, informed by community feedback, marks one of the city's most notable investments in green infrastructure to improve its overextended wastewater management system.
The project has been planned through extensive studies and community coordination since 2016, with construction set to occur in three phases, extending through 2026. Crews broke ground on the South Basin, North Basin, and sewer overhaul in July 2022, and progress is reportedly on track. In addition to the basins, the stormwater management initiative includes neighborhood improvements to enhance recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike. Planned enhancements in Rouge Park will introduce wetland spaces with native flora, creating greener, more inviting areas in the community for residents to enjoy (Ref. 2).
Website of the intervention
https://detroitmi.gov/departments/water-and-sewerage-department/dwsd-projects/f…
Principal problems
Climate-Related Hazards
Urban flooding (stormwater)
Environmental Degradation
Poor water quality
Implementation area characterization
Climate
Continental (Cold-summer humid continental, Cold-winter dry continental, Cold-summer dry continental)
Ecosystem
Urban or built environment
Address

Parkland
Detroit, 48239
United States

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary (map-based)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Far+West+Detroit,+Detroit,+MI,+USA/@42.3512656,-83.2749413,5050m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x883b4aae78694739:0xb53af9166db96383!2sFar+West+Detroit,+Detroit,+MI,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d42.3464725!4d-83.2590401!16s%2Fg%2F11nxfp_gg6!3m5!1s0x883b4aae78694739:0xb53af9166db96383!8m2!3d42.3464725!4d-83.2590401!16s%2Fg%2F11nxfp_gg6?authuser=0&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkyMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
Area description
Urban (main city)
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Residential
Public Greenspace Area
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2016
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2022
End date of the intervention
ongoing
Present stage of the intervention
Ongoing
Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
To create wetland park spaces in planted with native flora that enhance natural habitats and environmental resilience in Rouge Park
To reduce sewage overflows into the Rouge River, protecting water resources and reducing pollution.
To improve the water quality of the Rouge River by effectively managing stormwater and reducing pollutants entering the system.
To reduce excess water in the sewer system during heavy rain events, thereby minimizing flood risk in the surrounding community.
To increase recreational opportunities for neighborhood residents and Detroiters by enhancing Rouge Park with features that improve the overall park experience
To involve the local community throughout the implementation process
(Ref.1,2)
Key Priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
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
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
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
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Inclusive governance
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Ecosystem-focused
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Restore native species
Implementation activities and NBS focus
Implementation activities
A meeting with community leaders was held in October 2019 to introduce the project. The first community-wide introduction was during a neighborhood meeting in February 2020. A virtual meeting to present the project's design progress and get community input was held virtually in May 2020. And, DWSD has hosted several smaller meetings with neighborhood leaders during Summer 2020 as well as other virtual meetings. Since 2022 the project progressed continuously and landscaping in the park area is now completed. For drainage improvements, storm sewer installation along Parkland and Belton has been completed, along with the combined sewer and storm sewer upgrades on Majestic and Sawyer. Water main upgrades across the neighborhood have also been successfully completed, including new installations and water service replacements.
In the South Basin, contractors have spread topsoil in preparation for tree, shrub, and seed planting. The area east of Outer Drive has also been topsoiled, with most planned trees, shrubs, and flowers already planted, signaling significant progress in the project’s landscape transformation. Planted with native Flora, the new basins plan to welcome residents and visitors to enjoy greener, inviting spaces in their community. As construction progresses, further community meetings are planned to continue collaboration regarding elements such as detailed planting selections for the basin areas.
(Ref.3,4)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Creation of any other green urban spaces
Maintenance and management of urban nature
Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks)
Creation of semi-natural blue areas
Implementation of green areas for water management (e.g. rain gardens)
Creation of artificial wetlands
Protection of natural ecosystems
Habitat restoration
Improved governance of green or blue areas
Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Design elements for well-being
Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation)
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Flood regulation
Pollination
Cultural services
Recreation
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Demographics in implementation area
Far West Detroit is a neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan with a population of 5,350. Far West Detroit is in Wayne County. Living in Far West Detroit offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. Median Household Income: $54,552. (Ref.5)
Socio-economic profile of the area
Middle-income
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
No
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Citizens or community groups
Specify primary beneficiaries
-Local residents, particularly those in approximately 1,200 homes, who will benefit from reduced flooding and improved public health due to the upgraded stormwater management system. The wider Detroit population will also benefit from enhanced recreational opportunities in Rouge Park, including new wetland park spaces, and from the environmental benefits of reduced sewage overflows into the Rouge River.
-The Municipality of Detroit stands to gain from improved infrastructure, leading to more efficient wastewater management and a reduction in environmental liabilities, while also supporting the local economy through investments in local contractors and businesses.
(Ref.1,2)
Marginalized groups
Unknown
Other beneficiaries
Local wildlife (e.g., birds, pollinators)
Native plant vegetation
City infrastructure (e.g., reduced flooding, improved water quality)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Government-led
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) serves as the primary initiator, project overseer, and partial funder for the Far West Stormwater Project. Supporting the project financially is the Oakland County Water Resources Commission.
Major Contracting, a Detroit-based firm, has been awarded the contract to implement the project, working alongside other consulting and subcontracting firms, including Anglin Civil, Badger Daylighting, Bore Brothers, Bowens Excavating, Decima LLC, Monument Engineering, Natural Community Services, LLC, OHM Advisors, Preconstruction Media, Somerset Paving, and Survey Solutions, Inc.
Local residents, the Far West Civic Association, and Friends of Rouge Park have participated actively in community meetings, sharing their input on design aspects such as plant selections and other neighborhood enhancements, ensuring the project reflects community priorities and goals. (Ref.1, 2)
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Regional government
Citizens or community group
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Stages of citizen and community engagement
Planning and design (e.g. site selection, identification of key priorities)
Decision-making among different alternative plans
Feedback during project implementation (e.g. review sessions)
Level of citizen and community engagement
High
Community empowerment or capacity-building initiatives
Creation of collaborative decision-making processes that actively involve community members
Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders)
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Uncommon actors ("Missing actors")
Community & Social Groups
Activist groups (e.g. climate, environment, justice, etc)
Infrastructure & Management
Utility companies: water, sewage, etc.
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
DWSD has a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit obligation to significantly reduce combined sewer overflows by 2037 (Ref.1).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Mandatory (based on policy)
Intervention is mandatory
Environmental regulation
Enablers & Barriers
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives.
The project is financially backed by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) and the Oakland County Water Resources Commission. (Ref.2)
Several private companies collaborate with the local municipality: Major Contracting, a Detroit-based firm, has been awarded the contract to implement the project, working alongside other consulting and subcontracting firms, including Anglin Civil, Badger Daylighting, Bore Brothers, Bowens Excavating, Decima LLC, Monument Engineering, Natural Community Services, LLC, OHM Advisors, Preconstruction Media, Somerset Paving, and Survey Solutions, Inc. (Ref. 1, 2)
Governace and decison-making instruments
Legislative and regulatory instruments (e.g. laws, strategies, regulations or restrictions)
Economic and fiscal instruments (e.g. subsidies or grants, charges or fees, payments for ecosystem services (PES))
Public - private business agreement (e.g. public private collaborations, public-private-partnerships (PPP))
Arrangements for governance cooperation
Formal coordination mechanisms to oversee project implementation and decision-making (e.g., multi-stakeholder steering committees, working groups)
Barriers
Unknown.
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Please specify total cost (EUR)
Estimated Project Cost: $41,992,557.51 (37,581,659.27 Euro) (Ref.6).
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
37,581,659.27 Euro
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Public regional budget
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
No
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-governance arrangement
Unknown
Entrepreneurship opportunities
Unknown
Business models
Business models
Risk reduction model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Impacts, benefits
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
Description of environmental benefits
-Improved water quality: "When complete in three years, the supplemental basins and sewer system situated along Parkland Road are designed to store and effectively purify stormwater through natural filtration before release into the Rouge River." ; (Ref.2)
-Increased protection against flooding-Expected storm / wave induced erosion and flooding: "the project plans to disconnect and redirect downspouts from around 400 homes to parcel-sized wastewater management tactics, a small but impactful measure to reduce excess water in the sewer system and greatly reduce the risk of flood in the community." (Ref.2); " It is transformative projects like this which will lead to operating a more climate resilient sewer system.” (Ref.7);
-Improved stormwater management: "the planned sewer renovation will replace lead service lines, reducing health risks to residents while also managing stormwater with greater efficiency." ; "It is estimated that the retention project will remove 98 million gallons of stormwater runoff each year from the combined sewer system on the city’s far west side. " (Ref. 1)
-Increased green space area: "The enhancements in Rouge Park set the stage for improved park experiences through the creation of wetland park spaces. Planted with native Flora, the new basins plan to welcome residents and visitors to enjoy greener, inviting spaces in their community." (Ref.2)
Economic impacts
Attraction of business and investment
Achieved attraction of business and investment
Description of economic benefits
Attraction of business and investment: "The funds and contract for the work have been awarded to Major Contracting, a Detroit-based firm reinforcing the city’s commitment to investment in local businesses and their economy." (Ref.2)
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved liveability
Expected improved liveability
Improved access to urban green space
Expected improved access to urban green space
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Description of social and cultural benefits
-Improved liveability: "Redirecting the water ensures that our residents basements are not flooded and that they can have a great quality of life here." (Ref.8)
-Improved access to urban green space: "The enhancements in Rouge Park set the stage for improved park experiences through the creation of wetland park spaces. Planted with native Flora, the new basins plan to welcome residents and visitors to enjoy greener, inviting spaces in their community." (Ref.2)
-Gain in activities for recreation and exercise: "the stormwater initiative promises to increase recreational opportunities for neighborhood residents and greater Detroiters." (Ref.2)
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Actors involved in the assessment, monitoring or evaluation of NBS impacts
Local government/municipality
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown.
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Cost-benefit analysis
Unknown
Transparency
Inclusion of diverse stakeholders in project governance processes (e.g. planning, implementation, monitoring, etc.)
Community forums for information sharing and encouraging the participation of marginalized groups
Clear communication channels for stakeholders to provide feedback, raise concerns, and ask questions about the project
Public disclosure of project funding sources and/or budgets
Justice
Community satisfaction
Unknown
Description of locals satisfaction with the project
The project is currently in its construction phase and there was no information available on public opinion regarding the project online.
Sentiments of DWSD's director, Gary Brown:
“After three years of community engagement with the Far West Civic Association, the Friends of Rouge Park along with other stakeholders, today we begin construction of our largest stormwater project to date,” said Gary Brown, DWSD director in the city's news release. “The stormwater improvement project in Far West Detroit is unique to our other 16 green stormwater infrastructure projects in that it redirects stormwater from an entire neighborhood into new detention basins in a city park and keeps it out of the sewer system by discharging to the Rouge River. It is transformative projects like this which will lead to operating a more climate resilient sewer system.” (Ref.7)
Trade-offs & Negative impacts
Unknown
Please specify Trade-offs & Negative impacts Selected
Unknown.
Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices
No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project
Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement
No initiatives or policies were implemented
High-quality & Transformative NBS
Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community)
Yes
Goal setting and impacts delivery
Yes, from the planning phase the project aimed to address issues in these three key priority areas and it also delivered benefits across these three areas.
Reaching original project goals
Inconclusive as the project is still undergoing implementation, or is still on its planning stages
Please specify the achievements of the project goals
The project is still in its construction phase.
Long-term perspective
Yes
Cost-effective solutions
Yes
Equitable impacts
A. All stakeholders benefit fairly from the project
Transformative capacity
Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution)
Technical change (e.g. built infrastructure of cities and their parts, roads, buildings and so on)
Magnitude of change
Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation
Application of lessons learned
The NBS has been shared or used as a good practice to trigger transformative change
Perception of Environmental Change
Unknown
References
1.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (n.d.). Far West Detroit Stormwater Improvement Project. Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
2.
Civil and Environmental Engineering - University of Michigan (2024). Detroit’s Far West Neighborhood Stormwater Infrastructure Upgrade. Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
3.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (2024). Spring 2024 Update Far West Detroit Stormwater Improvement Project. [Source link] [Archive];
4.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (2024). Construction update - September 2024. [Source link] [Archive];
5.
Niche (n.d.). Far West Detroit. Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
6.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (2022). FAR WEST DETROIT STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Fact Sheet. [Source link] [Archive];
7.
Tuser, C. (2022). $40 Million Detroit Water & Sewerage Department Project Underway. Stormwater Solutions, Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
8.
Rahal, S. (2022). Detroit breaks ground on $40 million Rouge Park stormwater project. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link] [Archive];
Comments and notes
Comments
Difficulties in finding information on public satisfaction, project area size, and assessments related to the project, probably due to the project not being completed yet.
Public Images
Design rendering of the west warren section of the stormwater improvement project
Design rendering of the west warren section of the stormwater improvement project
OHM Advisors
Far West Detroit
Far West Detroit
https://detroitmi.gov/news/40m-detroit-water-and-sewerage-department-project-increase-capacity-local-and-regional-sewer-system
Rouge Park Stormwater Basin
Rouge Park Stormwater Basin
Ref.3
Far West Detroit
Far West Detroit
https://detroitmi.gov/news/40m-detroit-water-and-sewerage-department-project-increase-capacity-local-and-regional-sewer-system
Far West Detroit
Far West Detroit
https://detroitmi.gov/news/40m-detroit-water-and-sewerage-department-project-increase-capacity-local-and-regional-sewer-system
Far West Detroit
Far West Detroit
https://detroitmi.gov/news/40m-detroit-water-and-sewerage-department-project-increase-capacity-local-and-regional-sewer-system