Full Length Documentary (2024)
Rivers play an integral role in shaping the social, economic and environmental fabric of our society. From providing essential freshwater resources to fostering biodiversity and serving as cultural and recreational hubs, rivers are paramount to the well-being and vitality of communities.
The River Raisin is a pivotal piece of the City of Monroe, and its turbulent past is making way for its incredible future. Discover the journey, on Saturday, May 4 as the City of Monroe’s Commission on the Environment and Water Quality (COTE) presents an outreach event featuring the premiere of the full-length documentary film, “The River Raisin: A Comeback Story.”
“Comeback Story” is a captivating exploration of the evolution of the River Raisin. Deemed an Area of Concern (AOC), the Raisin has undergone extensive remediation and restoration work, including removing dams, creating passages permitting fish to migrate a twenty-three-mile stretch of the River for the first time in more than 80 years and the removal of more than 140,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. Experience how nature and the power of community have started to bring this precious resource back to life.
This documentary was made possible by funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative administered by the Michigan Areas of Concern Program, Office of the Great Lakes, Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Environmental Protection Agency for the River Raisin. film enhances existing educational outreach material and initiatives COTE has released.
Grant funds have also provided COTE/City of Monroe and its partners an opportunity to remove dams and create passages permitting fish to migrate a twenty-three-mile stretch of the River for the first time in more than 80 years. “Comeback Story” showcases the relentless efforts of volunteers, staff and key stakeholders to restore the ecology and natural beauty, as well as the cultural and recreational value of this regional asset including fishing, kayaking, wildlife viewing and more.
It is the hope of COTE that the film can serve as a model and inspiration to other AOCs and citizens, as well as local and regional stakeholders.
Be part of the legacy and join us to raise awareness, ignite change and celebrate the enduring spirit of the River Raisin.