$4.2 Million Recommended for Great Lakes Habitat Restoration

NOAA Fisheries is recommending $4.2 million in Great Lakes Restoration Initiativefunding to continue ongoing work restoring important habitat in the Great Lakes. Through this funding, partners will implement projects that support fisheries, habitats, and communities in Great Lakes ecosystems.

We're recommending funding to continue the work of three ongoing cooperative agreements:

• Ducks Unlimitedwill develop plans to restore wetland habitat at Camp Sabroske in Ohio, contributing toward restoring the Maumee Area of Concern. ($752,000)
• The Great Lakes Commissionwill implement several high priority habitat restoration projects in the Great Lakes region, including in the Maumee Area of Concern in Ohio and the Niagara River Area of Concern in New York. ($3.1 million)
• Genesee County, Michigan, will contribute to the removal of the Hamilton Dam on the Flint River, opening nearly 25 miles to fish passage. ($341,000)

As the largest freshwater system on earth, the Great Lakes are one of the most important natural resources in the world. They support valuable commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries, as well as industry, transportation, and tourism. This funding will help sustain the many benefits the Great Lakes provide to the environment and communities by:

• Supporting valuable fisheries and coastal resources
• Improving the quality of our water by restoring coastal wetlands
• Providing recreational opportunities for people to use and enjoy
• Increasing the resilience of Great Lakes communities

The Office of Habitat Conservation's NOAA Restoration Centerworks in the Great Lakes to support the ecosystems and economies that rely on these valuable international resources. Since 2010, we have supported 98 projects through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. These projects have restored more than 5,100 acres of habitat for fish and wildlife and opened up more than 520 miles of rivers and streams to fish migration.