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The history of the Huron River in Lower Town is evidence of the profound effects human activity can have on the environment. As Ann Arbor began to grow in the late nineteenth century, roads, houses and businesses began to displace the natural environment. Before the area was settled, rain water had been able to seep slowly into the ground and was partially absorbed by the local forest and vegetation. As humans moved in, forests were cleared and rainwater flowed more rapidly over the land and into the rivers and streams. The town was faced with street washouts and frequent flooding of the river valley. The problems increased as the population swelled.
At the same time, the population growth put pressure on the traditional water supply, which came from wells dispersed throughout the community. In 1885, the Huron River was tapped to supply water for newly installed fire hydrants. It was also a supplemental source of water for the community, although most of the supply would still come from wells for the next 50 years.
After the turn of the century, the growth of Ann Arbor meant that traditional sewage disposal systems had to be rethought. Water with human, agricultural, and industrial waste had been routed directly into the Huron River since 1894. By the late 1920s the community had become outraged at the level of pollution in the river. In 1929, the engineering firm of Ayres, Lewis, Norris & May was called on to produce a report recommending a sewage treatment plan.
The report went on to recommend the building of a large sewage treatment facility. The facility was built, along with a water treatment facility, in 1935, and the citizens of Ann Arbor benefitted from cleaner water both in the municipal water supply and in their recreation on the Huron River.