LANSING, Mich. (WOWO) — A 2007 Brookings Institution study frequently cited by restoration advocates estimated that every dollar invested in freshwater restoration could generate three dollars in economic returns. Research on individual Michigan rivers has also found millions of dollars in annual economic activity tied to recreation, tourism and other benefits.
A 2017 study of the Huron River estimated that the river and its water trail generated $53.5 million in economic output annually. A separate 2023 assessment valued the White River’s total economic impact at $20 million a year.
Alan Steinman, a professor at Grand Valley State University’s Annis Water Resources Institute and a co-author of the Michigan Blue Economy report, said studies in the Muskegon area found a six-to-one return on investment.
“The number is less important than the concept that, ‘Oh my God, these properties really do have inherent value, cultural value and economic value that had none associated with (them) prior to the restoration effort,” Steinman said.
Communities across Michigan are pursuing projects intended to make rivers more accessible and attractive to residents and visitors. Battle Creek is examining whether to remove a concrete channel covering part of the Kalamazoo River downtown. Grand Rapids is working to restore rapids along the Grand River, and a new state park is being developed along Flint’s riverfront.
The state also announced an $89 million investment in October to clean up the Detroit, Kalamazoo and other rivers.
Michigan has more than 76,000 miles of rivers, creeks and streams. Many face pollution and other environmental challenges, while aging dams raise questions about safety and future maintenance. Communities increasingly see river restoration as an opportunity to address those problems while making their downtowns and outdoor destinations more attractive.
The Lower Rouge River in southeast Michigan illustrates how restoration can change public access to a waterway. The river was once so polluted that it famously caught fire. During a recent kayaking event organized by Friends of the Rouge, participants paddled past factories, a docked freighter and industrial materials.
Sally Petrella, a watershed ecologist with Friends of the Rouge, said the river has made significant progress, although restoration remains unfinished. She recalled being warned as a child not to touch the water because of pollution. The river is now safe enough for people to paddle, she told participants, but still has a long way to go.
In Battle Creek, removing the concrete channel along the Kalamazoo River could turn an inaccessible and potentially dangerous stretch of water into a downtown attraction.
Kris Martin, an urban planner with Battle Creek Unlimited, the firm helping evaluate the proposal, said removing the aging channel would make the river “a greater amenity to the downtown.”
Martin said the project’s cost will depend on the approach ultimately selected but is expected to reach millions of dollars. An economic cost-benefit analysis is expected to be included in the next report from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Grand Rapids’ effort to restore rapids to the Grand River is estimated to cost at least $19 million. However, the project’s economic impact has not been publicly established.
In Flint, plans for a state park along the riverfront include $30.2 million in project spending and a $41 million endowment intended to support future operations and maintenance. An economic analysis is not currently planned because of the additional cost.
Even without complete financial projections, supporters argue that restored rivers can improve recreation, reconnect residents with nature and make nearby areas more attractive places to visit.
The Traverse City area offers another example of the uncertainty surrounding those investments. Beginning in the mid-2000s, the region undertook what has been described as Michigan’s largest dam removal project, taking out three dams along the Boardman River. The effort cost more than $27 million and was intended to reconnect coldwater streams and restore fish habitat.
Conservation Resource Alliance, which managed the project and administered its finances, has not calculated the economic benefits.
Gavin MacDonald, the organization’s communications manager, said determining the financial return would require significant time and investment from the partners involved.
Still, MacDonald said the project produced tangible improvements. Removing the dams restored a more free-flowing river, improved habitat and opened longer stretches of water to paddlers.
“The river is now navigable, so you can paddle large stretches of the Boardman River,” MacDonald said. “It’s made it more accessible for the people that live in the region and the people that visit to explore and be more connected with nature.”
Detroit’s riverfront provides a clearer example of the potential economic payoff. Once marked by vacant buildings and abandoned lots, the downtown waterfront has been transformed into a nationally recognized destination featuring parks, greenways and more than eight miles of trails, along with places to eat, drink and enjoy outdoor activities.
About $2 billion in public and private money has been invested in the project. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy estimates visitors spend $82 million annually.
Research on the Huron River also illustrates how restored waterways can provide benefits beyond direct spending by visitors.
The Huron River Watershed Council commissioned Grand Valley State University researchers to study the river’s economic value. The research, published in 2017, estimated $53.5 million in annual economic output associated with the river and its water trail.
Researchers also estimated the river provided $150 million annually in economic value through services that included recreation, flood reduction and habitat for rare organisms.
Elizabeth Riggs, who was deputy director of the Huron River Watershed Council at the time, said she wanted to put a dollar figure on the river’s benefits to demonstrate why protecting and restoring waterways deserved public investment.
She said translating those benefits into economic terms could help reach a wider audience and persuade decision-makers to support restoration.
A 2023 Grand Valley State University assessment examined the White River in western Michigan, which flows through the Huron-Manistee National Forests and is fed by coldwater streams that can support salmon and trout.
Researchers estimated nearly 70,000 visitors traveled to the river in a year and valued its total economic impact at $20 million.
John Stivers, secretary of the White River Watershed Partnership, said the figure provides useful information, but the river’s future also raises questions about how much development is desirable.
The White River received a Country-Scenic River designation from the Michigan Natural Resources Commission in 1975. Some stretches are subject to development reviews through a Natural Rivers Zoning Review Board, and the river also benefits from protections associated with its passage through national forest land.
Stivers said some residents prefer the river to remain relatively quiet and undeveloped rather than become a major economic destination.
“There are a lot of people that love it the way it is and aren’t really too interested in turning it into a high economic engine,” he said. “It’s a balance.”
That balance remains central to Michigan’s growing investment in river restoration. Studies suggest healthy waterways can support tourism, recreation and valuable environmental services, but many communities have yet to measure whether their projects will recoup their costs.
For now, Michigan’s river restoration efforts are moving forward on the promise that healthier waterways can deliver benefits extending well beyond the water itself.
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