Grants: Water Resources

Shiawassee River Resoration and Chesaning Dam Removal Project

The Chesaning Dam was identified in the 2003 WIN Fisheries Scoping Study and the subsequent WIN2005

Low Head Barrier Analysis as a critical impoundment inhibiting fish passage in the Saginaw River system.
Like the Frankenmuth Dam, the Chesaning project opens river and makes native spawning areas available
to fish that have been compromised since the late 1800s. Fish passage at Chesaning will open 37 miles of
stream habitat – with native walleye and sturgeon being the targeted fish for restoration at this location.
Chesaning recently received a $900,000 grant from the State of Michigan to match the WIN funding to assist
this $1.4 million project.

Saginaw Bay Environmental Education Center

This project, sponsored by BaySail, will fund the development of a zero stormwater runoff facility as a permanent home for the Appledore Schooners. The main features of the project are a 2500 sq ft intensive green roof, a porous concrete and previous grass school bus irrigation system, and native species landscaping.

Creating a Sustainable Region through an Investment in Children

This project, proposed by the new Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum, requested funding to assist with the construction of the exhibit space component of the museum. In particular, the request was for exhibits that most closely align with WIN’s mission and objectives: Water, Water, Everwhere, Aunt Sugar’s Farm and Night ‘n’ Day. It was the desire of the Museum to incorporate “sustainable’ concepts into the displays as much as possible. They also invited Win representatives to assist in the development of the education programming that will be an integral part of the museum’s operations.

Hampton School Rain Garden

Students at Bay City’s Hampton Elementary have developed a “rain garden” on low lying property at their elementary school. Designed to reduce runoff from the school grounds, as well as filter pollutants from the water, the rain garden will serve as an important demonstration of on-site water quality management and green development in a very visible location. A local architect and a landscape architecture firm consulted on this project.

Arenac Conservation District “Tree for a Tire Day”

The Arenac County Conservation District proposed a tire recycling day. There was no active tire recycling program in the County and old tires were typically burned, stacked up in back yards, or disposed of on state land. The District traded a tree seedling for each tire that was delivered to the recycling site. The goal was to recycle 2,050 tires. WIN funding supported the charges associated with trailers that will be used to transport the tires to First Class Tire Shredders Inc.

Expressions of Learning

The “Just a Drop of Water” curriculum is part of the National Literacy Through Photography project and was implemented by the University of Michigan – Flint. Addressing writing and literacy, the project uses photography to stimulate basic learning skills, particularly reading, writing and verbal communication. This project focused on water issues and water conservation. The University partnered with two schools – one urban and one rural to kick off this program. U-M Flint was the first site in Michigan to host this unique curriculum.

Top of the Shiawassee River Trail Signage

Headwaters Trail created the first canoe access site in the upper Shiawassee River (headwaters of the

Saginaw River). This project created interpretive signage for a “water trail” that stretches from Holly to
Fenton. The signage package included planning, construction and it addressed way-finding panels, as well
as guideposts, markers, and maps delineating water features. The fact that this is a tributary to Saginaw Bay
and a significant part of the watershed was addressed. A Trail brochure and a website supported this
implementation activity. WIN funds supported signage and brochure design and sign fabrication.

Bush Creek Bio-Engineering Demonstration

This project, sponsored by the Saginaw Bay RC&D, demonstrated a lower-cost erosion control method that can be used along stream sites with high erosion potential. This project highlighted bio-engineering techniques including tree revetments, which include using trees that are placed along the side of a stream that essentially trap erosion and sedimentation and create a stronger and more erosion-resistant streambank. An additional demonstration includes the use of Polyacrymlaides – which are bonding agents that promote the growth and stability of erosion control grasses. 10 sites were restored as as part of this project. WIN funding supported the engineering and installation of the revetment structures.

Townline Road Closure

The Rifle River is a major direct tributary of Saginaw Bay and has been the focus of numerous regional

efforts to improve fisheries, control erosion, and recreation opportunities. One of its tributaries, Fritz Creek,
has been identified as a major source of sedimentation and erosion, the source of which is the road stream
crossing at Townline Road. In response to this, and recognizing that other roads provided access to
neighboring properties, the Arenac County Road commission decided to abandon the road. However, they
were not fully committed – financially – to restoring the crossing site where a culvert needs to be removed.
In partnership, the Saginaw Bay RC&D decided to raise money to leverage county resources and other
financing from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to restore the area to a nonerodable condition.

Frankenmuth Fish Passage Project for the Cass River Dam

Fish Wish is the capital improvement project designed to modify the Frankenmuth dam, enabling fish passage on the Cass River. The Cass River is a tributary of the Saginaw River and part of the Saginaw Bay Watershed. The fish passage project, located at the base of the Frankenmuth dam, places rock material immediately downstream of the dam. This ramp creates a gradual slope known as a rock ramp. The design does not required a separate bypass around the dam for fish passage and include naturalistic features with the use of rock materials. The rock ramp allows non-jumping fish to pass through notches within the rock/weir structures. Variable flow an occur around the rocks and boulders placed in the river, allowing fish of various sixes to find areas of passable velocity. The rock ramp not only facilitates fish passage but also has great aesthetic and recreational appeal, critical to the trouism economy of Frankenmuth. The Frankenmuth Dam was identified as being one of the three high priority fish passage project by the WIN funded study entitled “Fish Passage at Low-Head Barrier Dams in the Saginaw River Watershed” by Public Sector Consultants. Fish passage at this site allows fish spawning in approximately 73 miles of that river that was currently unavailable.

Saginaw Bay Great Lakes Water Quality Issues Booth

The issues booth promotes public awareness and understanding of the Saginaw Bay and Great Lakes water quality by demonstrating how individual actions impact the freshwater system of our region. The project seeks to affect the behavior of individuals by education them about the importance of their actions, to contribute to a broader education effecrt that seeks to bring about a cultural shift in attitude toward environmental stewardship, and to promise the Saginaw Bay region throughout the Great Lakes Basin as a tourism destination and opportunity,

Ogemaw Stormwater Management Project

Proposed by the Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Area, the project addressed the effects of non-point source pollution and stormwater runoff from the City of West Branch and the surrounding area on the Rifle River. This project contemplated the implementation of an outreach program/education campaign coordinated through the local conservation district, the completion of an engineering study to estimate pollutant loading and provide Best Management Practice recommendations, and present a final summary to local government and interest groups. This project also included an innovative “voluntary” certification program that highlighted local success stories.