Ingham County Drain Commissioner Awards & Grants
Impact meets recognition, naturally.
Patrick E. Lindemann stepped into his role as Ingham County Drain Commissioner in 1992, redefining the position to be less about band-aiding the county’s and its resident’s watershed challenges, and more about getting to the root of each, individual issue.
This new way is perhaps a connection to an older way, rooted in working with the earth to create solutions that provide safe habitats for wildlife and humans, saving taxpayers millions and creating opportunities for health, beauty and connection along the way.
Impact at that level does not go unnoticed, and Lindemann and his team receive international, national and state recognition for their approach to Ingham County’s watersheds. By mimicking nature in drainage solutions, the Drain Commissioner reunites humans with the earth.
Now 30+ years as Drain Commissioner, Patrick Lindemann has overseen the construction and maintenance of drain improvements that have opened the way for hundreds of millions of dollars for new economic growth in Ingham County, as well as cleaning Michigan’s water resources.
Lindemann has been an elected official for over 40 years, in addition to being a small business owner in Lansing. It’s clear he’s deeply invested in Michigan’s water health, the health of Michigan’s economies, and the impact of nature on humans—his entire portfolio of work, and his life, reflects this.
Across the projects he’s managed as Drain Commissioner, ranging from large scale county projects to supporting homeowner groups, Lindemann has been the recipient of millions of dollars’ worth of grants from government agencies and other funding sources. He has used this funding to promote the use of Low Impact Design (LID) and stormwater management strategies from a watershed perspective. Intentional win-win solutions for humans and nature are created through the efforts of his drain office.
Two notable projects—the Tollgate Drain in the City of Lansing and Lansing Township; and the Towar Rain Garden Drain in East Lansing and Meridian Township—were highlighted in the Clean Water Action publication on American Rivers entitled “The Greening of Stormwater: Michigan Communities—Saving money, beautifying neighborhoods and protecting lakes and streams” authored by Dave Dempsey. These are first-of-their-kind urban retrofit projects using LID as a stormwater management tool to better protect the environment while saving costs.
As Drain Commissioner for Ingham County, Lindemann has been the recipient of millions of dollars’ worth of grants from government agencies and other funding sources. This capital and these vulnerable projects found their proper match in the creative hands of Lindemann and his team. As Michigan residents, business owners, and humans, this has meant watershed improvements are providing the stable foundations to build our lives.
Grants
STATE OF MICHIGAN Section 319 Grants: $3 Million
Develop soft engineering using native materials (such as live plants and modified soils) to stabilize the banks of Willow Creek Drain.
Evaluate the effectiveness of pollution extraction from the Tollgate Drain retrofit
Understand the sources of pollution outlets into the Red Cedar River.
Develop a watershed management plan for the Red Cedar River’s watershed.
US CORPS OF ENGINEERS: $2 Million
Remap Ingham County’s topography, which produced detailed Lidar Data that can be used to build contour maps of extreme accuracy. With the collection of this data, GPS mapping of the whole county was possible.
This Grant also produced high quality aerial photographs of the whole county. These data now make it possible to overlay detailed information about the counties water resources, including, wetland size and locations, and water features such as creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes. This allows us to accurately produce digital maps of groundwater pollution and well locations for the county’s Wellhead Protection Program. This is just a few uses of this data.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources: $428,000
Rebuild a portion of the Red Cedar River to restore its historic flow pattern
Make aquatic habitat improvements that will create spawning opportunities for Steelhead Trout and Salmon, as part of the Montgomery Drain Drainage District infrastructure retrofit project.
SAW (Stormwater Asset Management and Wastewater) Grants: $3 Million
Provide an accurate inventory of stormwater assets and their current condition.
Develop asset management plans to extend the life of stormwater infrastructure while making the best use of available management dollars.
*1.5 million dollars of this SAW Grant money was dedicated to the Montgomery Drain project.
Michigan Brownfield Grant: $50,000
Resolve soil contamination identification in the Montgomery Drain Drainage District.
Ingham County Unions: $30,000
Provide family fishing areas within the Montgomery watershed.
Awards (not an exhaustive list)
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Innovation and Excellence Award: Groesbeck Park Drain, Ingham County, 2018
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Honorable Mention: Green #4 Consolidated Drain, Ingham County, 2016
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Honorable Mention: Corcoran Intercounty Drain, Ingham County, 2016
Michigan Water Environmental Association
Willard F. Shephard Award in Merited Recognition of Twenty Years of Membership & Devoted Service, 2015
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Innovation and Excellence Award: Ember Oaks Drain Improvements Project, Meridian Township, Ingham County, 2014
Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc. and American Counsel of Engineering Companies
Michigan Engineering, Merit Award: Ember Oaks Drain Drainage District, Meridian Township, Ingham County, 2014
Sierra Club
David Dempsey Award for Distinguished Service for the Environment, 2013
Michigan Water Environmental Association
Regulatory Professional of The Year, 2010
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Innovation and Excellence Award: Cook and Thorburn Drain, Watershed Improvements Project, Meridian Township, Ingham County , 2012
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Innovation and Excellence Award: Briarwood Drain Project, Meridian Township, Ingham County, 2010
Charter Township of Meridian
Environmental Commission Environmental Stewardship Award: Northport Condominium Development, Detention Pond Revitalization & Renovation, 2009
City Pulse News & 92.1 WQTX
Lansing MI Best Environmentalist – Talk Of The Town Award, 2009
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Innovation and Excellence Award: Towar Gardens Drain Project, East Lansing and Meridian Township, Ingham County, 2008
Williamstown Township Chamber of Commerce
Ingham County Certificate of Appreciation – Speaker Recognition, Business Networking Luncheon, 2008
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Dedication of Service & Leadership Award, 2005 - 2007
Clean Water Action
Michigan Chapter Hero of the Lakes Award, 2007
American Public Works Association, SW Branch
Public Works Environmental Project of the Year: Briarwood Creek Drain, Meridian Township, Ingham County, 2007
Ingham County Sheriff’s Office, Ingham County MI Search & Rescue
Certificate of Appreciation, 2007
Charter Township of Meridian
Environmental Commission Environmental Stewardship Award, 2002
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners Honorable Mention
Managing Drainage with a Resident Beaver Population: Meridian Township, Ingham County, 2002
Grand River Expedition 2000: Stewardship Award, 2000
Michigan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineering
Stream Bank Stabilization, Quality of Life Award: Willow Creek, Aurelius Township, 1997
Honorable Concept Award: Tollgate, City of Lansing and Lansing Township, 1999
Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners
Rural Drainage and Stormwater Management Award: Willow Creek, 1996
Urban Storm Water Management Award: Tollgate, 1997
Ingham County Chapter of Pheasants Forever
Elected Official Award, 1996
Michigan Wildlife Habitat Foundation
Bengal Habitat Award, 1996 and 1998
Keep Michigan Beautiful Award
Fairview Park Stormwater Cleansing Basin in Tollgate, 1998
National Stormwater Control Program
Excellence Award, Nominated, 1998
Michigan State University Department of Resource Development
Professional Achievement Award, 1992-93