Photo Essay: Searching for Stoneflies on the Clinton River

What is a stonefly? Why are people tromping around the Clinton River in the dead of winter counting them? Metromode's intrepid photographer Dave Lewinski lets you in on the answers to these questions from the comfort of your warm cozy homes. (Hint: It has a lot to do with the health of our waterways.)

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On January 26th, the 18 degree temperature didn’t phase dozens of volunteers who stepped into the icy waters of the Clinton River at several sites around Auburn Hills in search of the elusive stonefly. Our fearless photographer David Lewinski joined them to capture these images.

Each year in late January, the Clinton River Watershed Council (CRCW) signs up volunteers to look for stoneflies, which grow during winter months when fish, their natural predators, are less active. Stoneflies are extremely sensitive to pollutants and low oxygen levels in streams, so finding stoneflies is a great indicator of a stream’s health.

This is one of the many opportunities that the Clinton River Watershed Council uses to bring people together around stewardship of water resources. To find out the results of the stonefly search and learn more about the status of the Clinton River’s health, look for updates on CRWC’s website.

This photo essay is a part of a series running in Metromode and Model D highlighting green and blue infrastructure and water quality issues in Southeast Michigan.

Photo Essay: Searching for Stoneflies on the Clinton River

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