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The Pere Marquette River is a state designated Natural River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River, and a Blue Ribbon Trout Stream. Tributaries like Sweetwater Creek provide critical spawning and escape cover for fish, travel corridors for wildlife, and instream habitat for aquatic insects. Sweetwater Creek is approximately 1.5 miles long and this crossing project opens fish passage up to a half mile of it.
The Wingleton road/stream crossing, site #L-5, was comprised of two 22’ undersized culverts, approximately 34’ long. Through this project partners designed and completed the installation of a timber bridge that accommodates the natural stream channel. Paved approaches and spillways channel road runoff away from the stream as well.
Project Benefits:
- Natural movement of woody debris, substrate, fish & aquatic insects.
- Reduce sedimentation of stream from erosion of steep road approaches and embankments.
- Stream channel returned to a more natural state, unaltered by undersized culverts impounding water & sand upstream.
Partners involved:
Pere Marquette River Restoration Committee including the following partners – US Forest Service, Conservation Resource Alliance, Lake County Road Commission, Wilcox Professional Services, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, McDowell Construction & Pere Marquette Watershed Council.