ST. JOSEPH (WTVB) – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan and Joe Donnelly of Indiana will hold a press conference in St. Joseph, Michigan Monday to highlight a historic $6.8 million investment to improve water quality in the St. Joseph River Watershed, the third-largest river basin of Lake Michigan. Over 70 percent of the St. Joseph River is in agricultural use, stretching 210 miles through Michigan and Indiana and covering 15 counties, including Branch County, before emptying into Lake Michigan at St. Joseph.
The new St. Joseph Watershed Conservation Partnership will help farmers access conservation tools that improve productivity in the field and reduce excessive sediment and nutrients in the St. Joseph River. By reducing runoff, farmers will help improve soil quality, water quality, and wildlife habitat in the watershed. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will partner with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and over 30 local organizations on the project. Support for this project comes through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which was created by Sen. Stabenow’s 2014 Farm Bill.
Over $40 million will support projects across Michigan and the Great Lakes region that invest in clean water, soil, and wildlife conservation. Each project was designed by dozens of local partners including businesses, non-profits, universities, and federal, state, and local governments. Partners are required to match federal funding, effectively doubling the federal investment.
