Restoration Project 

Nankin Lake Habitat Restoration

The Nankin Lake Habitat Restoration project restored ecosystem function to Nankin Lake, increasing aquatic diversity throughout the Rouge River for fish species and other native aquatic life. The project created or restored 6.3 total acres of in-lake habitat and improved stormwater management and water quality along the Rouge River.

Over the years, Nankin Lake, an impoundment located in Livonia, Michigan, along the Middle Branch of the Rouge River, slowly filled in with sediment. Due to this buildup, the lake had become shallow in many areas and had visible depositional areas and islands as a result, decreasing the total acreage of water and habitat present by approximately 1.5 acres. Sedimentation also degraded shallow water habitat. Invasion of phragmites and narrow-leaf cattail in shallow water habitat further degraded the aquatic habitat. Flow during storm events effects the impoundment and downstream habitats significantly. The ability to reduce damaging storm flows will significantly aid in creating and maintaining habitat in the Middle Rouge River. The project restores the ecosystem functions the lake provides; including valuable spawning, nursery, and forage habitat for fishes and other aquatic species of all life stages.

The Nankin Lake Restoration project restored the ecosystem functions the lake provides; including valuable spawning, nursery, and cover habitat for fishes and other aquatic species of all life stages. As part of the restoration efforts, sediment was removed and the reservoir basin reshaped to create more open water habitat, restore shallow water habitat, and provide over-wintering deep water habitat. The completed habitat restoration provides habitat for pike, yellow perch, salamanders, sunfish, black crappies, frogs, aquatic insect and more. In terms of vegetation, invasive species management was conducted within the current vegetation corridor, targeting invasive species such as garlic mustard, buckthorn and Siberian elm. Additionally, native vegetation was planted in shallow water areas and around the lake for habitat and to improve the overall water quality of Nankin Lake.