The Rouge River's tributaries are home to a variety of aquatic life, including creek chubs, darters, and crayfish. Despite low water levels, these areas are teeming with life. A nonprofit organization, Friends of the Rouge, conducts annual surveys of the river, tracking the types of fish and their abundance at dozens of locations.

The surveys help create a database of the river's ecosystem. Further information about the findings and the database can be found through the Friends of the Rouge nonprofit.

Details about the river and its inhabitants are available from the organization that conducts the surveys.