Each local government in the Huron is zoned and holds regularly scheduled meetings of township governmental bodies where rulings are made on policy additions and changes, budgets, land use issues, and other important local business. Working with the guidance of statewide procedures, townships and other local governments have power to formulate land use and development policy, among other important activities. Drains, including roadside ditches, pipes, bridges, and culverts under state highways and county roads that are not designated county drains are maintained by the county Road Commissions.

Political jurisdictions regarding the Huron River and its tributaries, riparian zones, and land are controlled by federal and state laws, county and township ordinance, and town by-laws. Regulatory and enforcement responsibility for water quantity and quality regulation often lies with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and MDEQ. Major activities regulated by the state, through the MDEQ, are the alteration/loss of wetlands, pollutant discharges (NPDES permits), control of stormwater, and dredging/filling of surface waters.

The Huron River and its tributaries are public and subject to public trust protection. The Michigan Natural Rivers Act (PA 231, 1970) designated a 27.5-mile stretch of the Huron River from Kent Lake Dam and Barton Pond in Washtenaw County as a "country-scenic river". The Natural Rivers District includes 400 feet on either side of the ordinary watermark where development is severely limited. On private lands, zoning requires 125 feet building setbacks on the mainstem and 50 feet setbacks on tributaries. Minimum lot width for new construction is 150 feet, with 125 feet septic setback, and 50 feet natural vegetation strip along the river. All restrictions apply to public lands yet the natural vegetation strip increases to 100 feet. In the District, no new commercial, industrial or extractive development is permitted within 300 feet of the river or tributaries.

County government assumes responsibility for carrying out certain state policies. In most cases, the county governments enforce the state erosion control policy, under the Michigan Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Act 347 of 1972 and Part 91 of Act 504 of 2000, although local governments may also administer this program and county road commissions are typically self-regulating in terms erosion control.

Designated county drains in the watershed may be an open ditch, stream or underground pipe, retention pond or swale that conveys stormwater. The County Drain Commissioner Offices are responsible for operation and maintenance of these storm water management systems ("county drains"). These systems are designed to provide storm water management, drainage, flood prevention, and stream protection for urban and agricultural lands. The Drain Code gives the Drain Commissioners authority for construction or maintenance of drains, creeks, rivers and watercourses and their branches for flood control and water management.

In addition to oversight of these drains, the County Drain Commissioners are required to maintain established lake levels throughout the watershed. Through the Inland Lake Level Act (Act 146, P.A. of 1961), a board of commissioners may file a petition in circuit court to establish a special assessment district to pay the costs of establishing and maintaining a lake level. The Drain Commissioner must determine the apportionment of costs incurred and assess for maintenance of the lake level. Section 24 of the Inland Lake Level Act requires inspection of all lake level control structures on all inland lakes that have normal levels established under this Act to be completed once every three years by a licensed professional engineer.

While state and county governments take an active role in many local politics, local governments assume leadership in land and water management by passing and enforcing safeguards, which can be more protective than state laws. Working under numerous established procedures, local governments may enact ordinances to control stormwater runoff and soil erosion and sedimentation, protect sensitive habitats such as woodland and wetlands, establish watershed-friendly development standards and lawn care and landscaping practices, and so forth. Local governments oversee enforcement of their policies.

Last Updated: February 2006