The Heart of the Great Lakes

Freshwater in the Past, Present, and Future of Southeast Michigan

by David Dempsey

Published by: Michigan State University Press

The water corridor that defines southeast Michigan sits at the heart of the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem, the Great Lakes. Over forty-three trillion gallons of water a year flow through the Detroit River, providing a natural conduit for everything from fish migration to the movement of cargo-bearing one thousand–foot freighters, and a defining sense of place. But in both government policies and individual practices, the freshwater at the heart of the lakes was long neglected and sometimes abused. Today southeast Michigan enjoys an opportunity to learn from that history and put freshwater at the center of a prosperous and sustainable future. Joining this journey downriver in place and time, from Port Huron to Monroe, from the 1600s to the present, provides insight and hope for the region’s water-based renaissance. (via MSU Press)

David Dempsey Dave Dempsey is currently Senior Policy Advisor at FLOW (For Love of Water), an environmental law and policy center in Traverse City. He has 35 years' experience in environmental policy. He served as environmental advisor to former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard and as policy advisor on the staff of the International Joint Commission. He has also provided policy support to the Michigan Environmental Council and Clean Water Action. He has authored several books on the Great Lakes and water protection. (via michiganadvance.com)