The Rouge River, which cuts through Wayne County from north to south, has several branches which spread out to cover most of the West side of Detroit's metropolitan area. Flowing into the Detroit River at Zug Island, it has suffered from a fair share of toxic releases, including a pair of oil spills in 2002 and 2004. Historically though, much of the pollution that has flowed into the river has been caused by the urbanization and industralization of the region. Dozens of projects have, over recent decades, attempted to regulate the pollution which enters the waterway.

The Ford Motor Company's Rouge Plant and the Ford Motor Company's World Headquarters are just two of the buildings visible from the riverbank.

I can recall camping overnight at River Rouge Park, and I drive over the river daily on my way to work or on my way into Detroit.

The Rouge River is a waterway covered by concrete, asphalt and metal in some places, surrounded by trees and "green space" in other places; a typical river in urban America.



Sources:
http://www.epa.gov/med/grosseile_site/indicators/oilspills.html http://www.rougeriver.com/geninfo/overview.html#History http://www.rougeriver.com/restoration/