The Saginaw River cleanup, and the fish advisories downstream
Downstream Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay buyers should know about dioxin cleanup history, fish advisories, and floodplain sediment.
The Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers carry a legacy of pollution from upstream. For much of the 1900s, the Dow Chemical plant in Midland left a long-lasting pollutant called dioxin in the river. Over the years, floods carried that tainted sediment downstream — down the Tittabawassee, into the Saginaw River, and all the way to Saginaw Bay. The lower Saginaw River and the bay are a designated cleanup area. Dioxin and other industrial pollutants sit in the sediment.
For most people this isn’t an everyday worry, but two things are worth knowing. First, the state posts advisories about eating fish caught in the Tittabawassee River, the Saginaw River, and Saginaw Bay. Some fish carry too much contamination to eat often. It’s smart to check the state’s “Eat Safe Fish” guide before you keep a catch. There are similar advisories about eating wild game and home-raised chicken eggs from the river floodplain. Second, if you’re buying low property right along the river, ask about the floodplain and any cleanup history. Floodwaters there can leave river sediment behind. The EPA, the state environmental agency (EGLE), and the state health department all publish details. The county health departments can help too.