Huron River Watershed Council

What Huron River Watershed Council does

Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1965 as the first watershed council in Michigan. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, it protects the 908-square-mile Huron River watershed spanning seven southeast Michigan counties, 68 municipalities, and approximately 650,000 residents, supplying 85% of Ann Arbor's drinking water. HRWC operates as a coalition of more than 40 dues-paying member governments, individual donors, businesses, and hundreds of volunteers, delivering water quality monitoring, watershed management planning, green stormwater infrastructure consulting, dam assessment, policy advocacy, youth education, and recreation programming under four functional pillars: Study, Protect, Restore, and Connect.

HRWC's product portfolio centers on a citizen-science monitoring network that has accumulated over 30 years of biological data and 20 years of chemistry and flow data, supported by ArcGIS-based interactive mapping (including the Discover Your Creekshed tool, water quality dashboards, PFAS contamination maps, and Salt Watch chloride monitoring) and a partnership with the University of Michigan's Digital Water Lab for real-time sensor data. Recreational and educational products include the National Water Trail-designated 104-mile Huron River Water Trail and the Paddler's Companion waterproof map flipbook (4th Edition, 2024). HRWC is the program manager of the statewide Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) and an associate manager of the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP), extending its operational scope beyond the Huron watershed.

Revenue is generated through six streams: annual government membership dues (population-based, billed to 40+ communities), individual donations and the River Givers recurring giving program, foundation and government grants, fee-for-service stormwater consulting, special event sponsorships (Suds for the River, with tiers ranging from Guppy $500 to Walleye $4,000), and merchandise sales (Watershed Wear apparel and Paddler's Companion maps). The organization holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating, operates with a professional staff of approximately 18 plus hundreds of volunteers, and celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025.

Name

Huron River Watershed Council

Legal name

Huron River Watershed Council

Website

https://hrwc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Huron River Watershed Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1965 that protects the 908-square-mile Huron River watershed in southeast Michigan. It serves 650,000 residents across seven counties and 40+ member governments through water quality monitoring, policy advocacy, green infrastructure, and environmental education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE), Stormwater Management & MS4 Compliance Services (BPALAMAL), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Watershed conservation
• Water quality monitoring
• Citizen science programs
• Green stormwater infrastructure
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Memberships: HRWC raises funds from individual donors through its website, events, and direct outreach. It offers membership programs, year-end giving, and the River Givers monthly giving program. The organization also accepts planned/bequest gifts and honors/memorial donations.
2. Special Events: HRWC hosts annual fundraising events including Suds for the River (an evening fundraiser with food, music, and drinks) and potentially other events. Sponsorships at various levels (Guppy $500, Bass $1,000, Trout $2,000, Walleye $4,000) support the events and the organization.
3. Government Membership Dues: More than 40 communities (cities, townships, villages, and counties) within the watershed pay annual dues to HRWC. Dues are based on the number of residents within each community who reside within watershed boundaries. This represents a core institutional funding stream.
4. Fee-for-Service Stormwater Services: HRWC provides contracted services to member governments including ordinance development, targeted water quality studies, land use planning workshops, natural feature mapping, facilitation of inter-governmental planning, cooperative stormwater management and permit compliance, and green stormwater infrastructure planning and implementation.
5. Web Store and Product Sales: HRWC sells branded Watershed Wear apparel (through Ann Arbor Tees), the Paddler's Companion waterproof map flipbook, and rain garden assessments. Apparel sales contribute 15% of purchase price directly to HRWC programs.
6. Grant Funding: HRWC receives grant funding from foundations and government agencies to support specific programs and projects, including watershed management planning, restoration projects, and educational initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Huron River Watershed Council is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that protects and restores the Huron River and its 900-square-mile watershed across southeast Michigan. It delivers water quality monitoring, stormwater management consulting, rain garden assessments, watershed planning, advocacy, and education programs to member governments, residents, schools, and paddlers.

Product overview

The Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) is a nonprofit environmental organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs organized around four core functions: Study, Protect, Restore, and Connect. The core offerings include water quality monitoring programs (Biological Monitoring, Chemistry and Flow Monitoring, and macroinvertebrate tracking through River Roundup), recreational infrastructure (Huron River Water Trail with the Paddler's Companion waterproof map), and environmental protection services (Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Land Conservation, Climate Change adaptation, and Dam Management). Educational products include Youth Education programming and public outreach through newsletters and the Huron River Report. HRWC also provides interactive web-based tools including the Discover Your Creekshed mapping application, water quality dashboards, and free printed watershed maps. Additional offerings include rain garden assessments, volunteer programs (Stonefly Search, Adopt-A-Storm Drain), and merchandise through the Watershed Wear web store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Huron River Water Trail: A 104-mile (167 km) inland paddling trail connecting people to the river's natural environment, its history and the communities it touches.
• Suds for the River

Products and services

• Government Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced phosphorus pollution through ordinance development and land use policy advocacy
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Middle Huron Partners (MHP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC leads the Middle Huron Partners, a stormwater collaborative that sets actions to reduce pollution in the middle section of the Huron River Watershed. HRWC collects water samples and takes flow measurements for communities in this group.
• Alliance for Downriver Watersheds (ADW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC works with the Alliance for Downriver Watersheds, a formal committee merge of several lower Huron communities. HRWC monitors the river and tributaries for the ADW and provides outreach materials for the area's communities to distribute.
• Livingston Watershed Advisory Group (WAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC developed watershed management plans for the Huron Chain of Lakes and Upper Shiawassee River watersheds in Livingston County with this collaborative membership group. The WAG now works together to implement plan-recommended activities.
• Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC serves as program manager of MiCorps, a statewide program focused on volunteer monitoring in lakes and streams. HRWC teaches groups across the state how to study their rivers' macroinvertebrates.
• Lake Erie Volunteer Science Advisory NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC serves as a leading member of the Lake Erie Volunteer Science Advisory Network, contributing to regional water quality monitoring coordination.
• Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC's Kate Laramie serves as associate program manager of the CLMP, a state-wide program that supports volunteers to monitor water quality on Michigan's inland lakes.
• City of YpsilanticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC is supporting the City of Ypsilanti's efforts to remove the Peninsular Paper Dam (Pen Dam), working to restore the river through strategic dam removal.
• FreeWillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHRWC has partnered with FreeWill, an online tool that guides users through the process of creating a will or trust, to make online estate planning accessible and affordable for donors interested in planned giving.
• Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC collaborates with SEMCOG on development, green infrastructure, and water resource management planning across southeast Michigan.
• University of Michigan Digital Water LabcoreTechnology or IntegrationHRWC partners with the University of Michigan's Digital Water Lab for real-time water level and flow data, displayed on HRWC's maps dashboard. HRWC's Director of Science, Paul Steen, earned his MS and PhD from U-M School of Natural Resources.
• Local Schools and DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC partners with K-12 schools across the watershed for stream-side and in-classroom programming to teach students about water quality and watershed protection.
• Nature ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrior to joining HRWC, Executive Director Rebecca Esselman spent ten years with the Nature Conservancy working in conservation planning. HRWC collaborates with conservancies and agencies on land conservation prioritization.
• Developers and Land Use PlannersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC partners with developers, land use planners, and local governments to incorporate nature into infrastructure planning and projects through its Green Stormwater Infrastructure program.
• Washtenaw CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashtenaw County is a member government of HRWC. HRWC collaborates with the county on the Bluebelt initiative protecting Huron River water quality, and the county's Border-to-Border Trail connects with the Huron River Water Trail.
• State of Michigan (EGLE, MDNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRWC works with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and Michigan Department of Natural Resources on PFAS contamination, dam assessments, wetland permits, and water quality regulations. HRWC submits testimony on state legislation.
• Ann Arbor TeesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHRWC's branded Watershed Wear merchandise is sold through Ann Arbor Tees' web store. Ann Arbor Tees handles all ordering, payment, fulfillment, and customer service. 15% of each purchase directly supports HRWC programs.
• Huron River Water Trail Partners (Outfitters, Liveries, Trail Towns)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHRWC works with local businesses, outfitters, and liveries along the Huron River Water Trail to promote paddling recreation, distribute the Paddler's Companion map, and support the river economy.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Trout Unlimited: A national coldwater conservation nonprofit with a chapter-based model of volunteer-driven habitat restoration, monitoring, and advocacy. Comparable to HRWC in its use of volunteer networks, local chapters, and partnerships with government agencies for on-the-ground water and habitat protection.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: A larger, nationally recognized nonprofit watershed protection organization with a science, advocacy, education, and restoration mandate comparable to HRWC. Both rely on citizen monitoring, member-supported advocacy, and government partnerships to drive watershed-scale outcomes.
• Sierra Club (Michigan Chapter): A national grassroots environmental organization with active Michigan chapters focused on water quality, land conservation, and policy advocacy. Overlaps with HRWC on volunteer engagement, water protection policy, and southeast Michigan conservation priorities (HRWC's Director of Community Engagement previously served on the local Huron Valley Group of the Sierra Club).
• The Nature Conservancy (Michigan Chapter): A global conservation organization with active Michigan operations in land protection, freshwater conservation, and climate resilience. Comparable to HRWC because the two collaborate on conservation prioritization in the same southeast Michigan geography and share the same regional funder and partner ecosystem.

Regional players

• Alliance for the Great Lakes: A Great Lakes–focused nonprofit that combines citizen science (Adopt-a-Beach), policy advocacy, and corporate partnerships to protect a connected regional water system. Comparable to HRWC because both operate in the Great Lakes basin, use volunteer monitoring, and influence regional water policy.
• Conservation Law Foundation: A nonprofit that uses legal, policy, and science-based advocacy to protect water resources and environmental health across the Northeast. Comparable to HRWC's blend of science-driven advocacy and policy influence on behalf of a regional water system.
• Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities: A northern Michigan nonprofit focused on clean water, climate action, and resilient communities. Comparable to HRWC in combining advocacy, education, and on-the-ground programs to protect freshwater systems in Michigan.

Direct peers

• Riverkeeper: A watershed nonprofit that combines citizen water-quality monitoring, legal advocacy, and policy work to protect a specific river system (Hudson). Directly comparable to HRWC's model of pairing volunteer-collected monitoring data with policy and advocacy to protect a single watershed.
• Izaak Walton League of America: A national conservation nonprofit with a strong focus on volunteer water quality monitoring (its signature Save Our Streams program) and grassroots watershed advocacy. Directly comparable to HRWC's combination of citizen-science monitoring, policy advocacy, and chapter/community engagement.

Others

• Heinz History Center / Great Lakes Aquarium (regional civic-environmental nonprofit cluster): Peer set for nonprofit organizations operating in the Great Lakes environmental-education and watershed-engagement space. Useful for HRWC benchmarking on education program design, civic partnerships, and regional funder alignment; not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HuronRiverWC
• Facebookfacebook.com/huronriver
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/huron-river-watershed-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/huronriver
• Xx.com/hrwc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Huron River Watershed Council