CRA is thrilled to introduce a comprehensive dam removal, stream crossing replacement, stream corridor restoration, and recreational access improvement project in the Stony Creek watershed!
The project team will remove the Marshville Dam and replace the undersized culverts immediately downstream with a full-span timber bridge. Located in Oceana County’s Marshville Dam County Park as well as on land owned by several gracious upstream landowners, the effort will restore the stream’s natural morphology and dramatically enhance wildlife habitat. In addition, the project will ensure universal access to this treasured cold-water resource.
The site is just an hour from Grand Rapids, Michigan’s second-largest urban hub, and will bolster this unique and valuable resource for the region.
Before Photos
Spring 2024 Update
Construction commenced early this May, starting with replacing the stream crossing. Undersized culverts are now giving way to a channel-spanning timber bridge.
Stay tuned to our website and social media for project-specific updates and complete funder lists. Soon, the intervention will have completely transformed this section of the river, liberating it for the first time in over 160 years!
Stream Crossing Removal
Project Partners & Funders
Conservation Resource Alliance | West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission | Oceana County Road Commission | Ocean County Parks and Recreation Commission | John Wyns | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center Great Lakes Region | Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division | United States Department of Fish and Wildlife, Green Bay Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office | Great Lakes Fishery Trust | United States Forest Service State and Tribal Forestry Eastern Region | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation America the Beautiful Challenge 2022 | GEI Consultants | Scott Civil Engineering Company | L.S. Engineering, Inc. | Catskill Remedial Contracting Services | Kanouse Outdoor Restoration | J.E. Kloote Contracting, Inc. | The Wege Foundation