Before – 2 x 3’ diameter culverts with cement bag headwalls |
After – bottomless arch 18’2” span, 27’ long, 4’7” rise installed |
Original culverts |
During construction |
Embankments stabilized |
Spillways installed |
The Betsie River is a State designated Natural River known for salmon & steelhead fishing. Dair Creek is the coldest & second largest tributary to the Betsie and provides critical escape & spawning habitat in a watershed that is known to have extreme water temperatures on the mainstem during summer & winter months. With the replacement of the aging, undersized 3’ diameter corrugated culverts where Landis Road crosses Dair Creek, a bottomless arch now spans the creek providing full passage of aquatic life and a natural stream bottom under the road.
Project Cost: $109,427
Best Management Practices
- Replaced twin 3’ diameter culverts with a bottomless aluminum arch 18’ 2” span x 4’ 7” rise, 27’ long
- Road grading & 2 spillways
- Fieldstone placement
- Grading embankments & revegetation
Project Benefits
- Improved fish passage to 3 miles of Dair Creek & tributaries upstream
- Natural movement of woody debris, substrate, aquatic insects
- Reduce scouring of streambed
- Provide natural stream bottom under road
- Halt annual input of approximately 124.7 tons of sediment from road runoff from entering Dair Creek
Contributors
Environmental Protection Agency – Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Benzie County Road Commission
Adams Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Partners involved
Betsie River Watershed Restoration Committee including the following partners - Conservation Resource Alliance, Benzie County Road Commission, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Department of Natural Resources - Fisheries Division, KPM Engineering, Team Elmers’