Boardman River Dams & Restoration Project Named to National List of Fish Conservation Projects

By Chuck Lombardo,CML Marketing Communications, clombardo@cmlmc.com, (231) 922-6782      

2014 “Waters to Watch” Provide Eye to the Future of Fish Conservation

Traverse City, MI – The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) has included the Boardman River Dams & Restoration Project (BRDRP) on its 2014 list of rivers, streams, estuaries, lakes and watershed systems that will benefit from strategic conservation efforts to protect, restore or enhance their current condition.  The BRDRP is one of only ten projects across the nation named to the 2014 list.

The “Waters to Watch” list is assembled by the nation’s leading authorities on aquatic conservation.  The listed projects represent examples of local efforts that protect, restore and enhance fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster habitat conservation and improve quality of life – key goals of the BRDRP.

The BRDRP is currently in the early stages of Phase II that includes the removal of Boardman and Sabin dams and modification of Union Street Dam.  Phase I of the project includes the removal of Brown Bridge Dam, completed in 2013, and ongoing restoration work.  When fully implemented, the BRDRP will reconnect over 150 miles of free-flowing, cold-water stream and restore hundreds of acres of wetland and upland habitat.  It is one of the largest dam removal and restoration projects in Michigan’s history and one of the largest such projects in the Great Lakes Basin.  Funding for the project is provided by state, federal, tribal and private sources.

“It is an honor to be recognized among a select group of projects nationwide,” said Frank Dituri, Chairman of the BRDRP Implementation Team.  “Inclusion on the “Waters to Watch” list not only validates the significance of the project, but will also provide a tremendous boost to fundraising efforts.”

Since 2006, the National Fish Habitat Partnership has been a partner in 417 projects in 46 states benefiting fish habitat. The National Fish Habitat Partnership works to conserve fish habitat nationwide, leveraging federal, state, tribal, and private funding resources to achieve the greatest impact on fish populations through priority conservation projects. The national partnership implements the National Fish Habitat Action Plan and supports 19 regional grassroots partner organizations.

For more information about the BRDRP and project updates, please visit www.theboardman.org.

For more information on project maps and descriptions of the 10 Waters to Watch list for 2014, Visit: http://fishhabitat.org/waters-to-watch/2014

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