By Mike Kruzman & Jon King / news@whmi.com


A local group is taking action to help mitigate Huron River flooding that is affecting many Hamburg Township residents.

Residents Working Against Huron River Flooding formed in 2020. Amber Bismack is one of the group’s cofounders who, after flooding over the last week caused many to have to leave their homes, said they want to provide more support to the community. Her area on Ore Lake has flooded 9 times over the past 5 years. Right now, the only monitoring gauge for flooding is on the Hamburg Road bridge. Bismack, who has a Ph.D. in Science Education, said that by the time flood levels begin to register there, the residents that live upstream have already been hit. She said the challenge is that they need gauges in multiple locations. Several creeks in the area flow into Ore Lake, which flows into the Huron.

Bismack said the first thing they need to do is collect data on where the water is coming from and how much is coming in. They have partnered with hydrologists from the Thriving Earth Exchange, which connects communities with scientists “to tackle local challenges related to natural hazards, natural resources, and climate change.” The hydrologists are helping them determine where to put new gauges. Through the Exchange they have received a grant for the purchase of the gauges and for the gathering of data. Bismack said that the data will help them improve their predictive monitoring for floods and begin to seriously look at mitigation strategies. She said the residents know they live in flood area, but they don’t need to be living in a constant cycle of fear, not knowing when the next one is coming.

She credited Hamburg and Green Oak townships, along with the County Drain Commission for their help, noting the expense and difficulty in helping residents.
For more information on their efforts, visit them on Facebook, or on their website, ResidentsWorkingAgainstHuronRiverFlooding.org.

To hear more from Bismack, tune in to WHMI’s Viewpoint this Sunday morning at 8:30.

Photos: Amber Bismack