Editing Detroit River (section)

===Pollution and conservation efforts===
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   | footer    = Both sides of the joint Detroit River / Detroit River Recovery historic marker in [[Trenton, Michigan|Trenton]]
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   | alt1      = The Detroit River
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   | image2    = Detroit_River_Recovery.jpg
   | alt2      = Detroit River Recovery
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Much of the land that surrounds the Detroit River is urbanized and, in some places, has been used for industrial purposes for more than 100 years. There has been excessive [[water pollution]] of the river from the long-term, unregulated dumping of chemicals, industrial waste, garbage, and sewage. Much of the Detroit River and its shoreline were polluted and unsafe for recreational use. Thousands of migrating birds died each year because of the oil slicks and contaminated water around the mouth of the Detroit River at [[Lake Erie]]. The river's oxygen levels were depleted to the point where fish could not inhabit its waters. Because this pollution often drained into and affected Lake Erie, the lake was considered "dead" and unable to support aquatic life.<ref name=hartig>{{Cite web |first = John |last = Hartig |url = https://www.espn.com/outdoors/hunting/columns/story?columnist=swan_james&page=g_col_swan_det_river |date = July 17, 2007 |title = The Detroit River's amazing comeback |publisher = [[ESPN]] |access-date = June 16, 2009 }}</ref><ref name=swan>{{Cite web |first = James |last = Swan |url = http://www.glu.org/news/2009/03/return-of-the-detroit-river%E2%80%99s-charismatic-megafauna/ |date = March 19, 2009 |title = Return of the Detroit River's Charismatic Megafauna |access-date = June 16, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090922140030/http://www.glu.org/news/2009/03/return-of-the-detroit-river%E2%80%99s-charismatic-megafauna/ |archive-date = September 22, 2009 }}</ref>

In 1961, a congressional order founded the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge. That began the government's placing tighter restrictions on industries; substantial government funding at various levels has been allocated to clean up the river. In this early period, opponents believed that such efforts would adversely affect Detroit's industry and economy. In 1970, toxic levels of [[Mercury (element)|mercury]] in the water resulted in the total closing of the [[fishing industry]] in the [[St. Clair River]], [[Lake St. Clair]], the Detroit River, and Lake Erie. Finally, a massive conservation effort was initiated to clean up the Detroit River.<ref name=hartig/> For years, the multi-million dollar cost of removing pollutants from the river and the political influence of nearby industries, hindered conservation efforts.<ref name=swan/>

In 1998, the Detroit River was designated as an [[American Heritage Rivers|American Heritage River]] by the US [[Environmental Protection Agency]] and in 2001 as a [[Canadian Heritage Rivers System|Canadian Heritage River]].<ref name="AHRS">{{Cite web |work = [[American Heritage Rivers]] |url = http://www.epa.gov/rivers/98rivers/detroit.html |date = October 19, 2006 |title = Detroit River (MI): An American Heritage Designated River |publisher = Environmental Protection Agency |access-date = June 16, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090722101841/http://www.epa.gov/rivers/98rivers/detroit.html |archive-date = July 22, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="CHRS">{{Cite web |work = [[Canadian Heritage Rivers System]] |url = http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/Detroit/Detroit_e.htm |title = Detroit River, Ontario: A Unique International Heritage |access-date = June 16, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090802233729/http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/Detroit/Detroit_e.htm |archive-date = August 2, 2009 }}</ref>  It is the only river in North America to have such dual designations.

In 2001, the Wyandotte National Wildlife Refuge was absorbed into the larger [[Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge]], a cooperative effort between the United States and Canada to preserve the area as an ecological refuge. The millions of dollars spent since that time to dredge pollutants out of the Detroit River has led to a remarkable restoration, although problems remain.<ref name="hartig" /> Today, many species of native animals that had been driven out by human development are returning to the area. The river is home to a growing number of bird species such as [[eagle]]s (including reintroduced [[bald eagle]]s), [[osprey]]s, and [[peregrine falcon]]s. Large numbers of [[lake whitefish]], [[sturgeon]], [[silver bass]], [[black bass]], [[salmon]], [[perch]], and [[walleye]] are again thriving in the river.<ref name="swan" /> 

The Detroit River and its recovery efforts were listed as a [[Michigan State Historic Preservation Office|Michigan State Historic Site]] in 2007.  A historic marker was erected along the river in a park that now serves as the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge visitor center in the city of [[Trenton, Michigan|Trenton]].<ref>{{cite web |work = MichMarkers.com |url = http://www.michmarkers.com/default?page=S0704 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201206011138/http://michmarkers.com/default?page=S0704 |url-status = usurped |archive-date = December 6, 2020 |title = Detroit River / Recovery: Registered Site S0704 |date = 2021 |accessdate = May 16, 2021 }}</ref>