The
Rouge River, which cuts through
Wayne County from north to south, has several branches which spread out to cover most of the West side of
Detroit's metropolitan area. Flowing into the
Detroit River at
Zug Island, it has suffered from a fair share of
toxic releases, including a pair of
oil spills in 2002 and 2004. Historically though, much of the pollution that has flowed into the river has been caused by the
urbanization and
industralization of the region. Dozens of projects have, over recent decades, attempted to regulate the pollution which enters the waterway.
The
Ford Motor Company's Rouge Plant and the
Ford Motor Company's World Headquarters are just two of the
buildings visible from the riverbank.
I can recall camping overnight at
River Rouge Park, and I drive over the river daily on my way to work or on my way into
Detroit.
The
Rouge River is a waterway covered by concrete, asphalt and metal in some places, surrounded by trees and "green space" in other places; a typical river in urban America.
Sources:
http://www.epa.gov/med/grosseile_site/indicators/oilspills.html
http://www.rougeriver.com/geninfo/overview.html#History
http://www.rougeriver.com/restoration/