The Boardman: A River Reborn - New Year Update

The snow has kept life relatively quiet on the Boardman River as partners prepare for what’s coming next in what’s sure to be another big year for The Boardman: A River Reborn. We have a lot of fantastic partners to thank in an undertaking of this size including the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for their stalwart dedication to restoring the river.

Brown Bridge Continues to Bounce Back

Nearly six years later, the stretch of river that runs through the Brown Bridge Quiet Area continues to reclaim its status as a superb coldwater river system. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Grand Traverse Band sponsored instream habitat work in the area last year. This translates into more places for aquatic life to find food and refuge.

The 2017 aquatic macroinvertebrate monitoring in the former pond, a survey of bugs you can see in the water, showed percentages of key families including mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies are now exceeding those of the reference site upstream of the project area. View the 2016 & 2017 Report.
 

Boardman Dam No More

The Boardman Dam and former impoundment went through a dramatic metamorphosis last year. Anyone who witnessed this transformation got to see history being made – the wow factor was truly unparalleled. Be sure to look through our Boardman Dam Photo Collection to see for yourself (middle right: looking south at the former Boardman powerhouse location).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be returning to the site in the spring for additional channel, floodplain and sediment work. Partners are also planning additional habitat enhancement projects including tree planting in the new bottomlands.
 

Say Your Goodbyes Sabin Dam

The Michigan DEQ has issued the permit for the removal of Sabin Dam. View the Sabin Dam Removal Permit. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects to complete the bidding process for construction slated to begin in the spring. Big thanks to Rotary Charities of Traverse City and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for their recent support of this phase of the initiative.
 

Union Street Dam & FishPass

Addressing the tension between reconnecting rivers versus using dams as barriers for invasive species like sea lamprey is one of the biggest issues facing the Great Lakes. FishPass is an innovative project underway on the Boardman River aimed at enhancing fish passage and connectivity between the Boardman River and Lake Michigan, while removing invasive or non-desirable fishes through controlled sorting. Be sure to visit FishPass for the latest project information.

Questions?

Email us at info@theboardman.org. Bottom photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.