Grants: Water Resources

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.

Averill Preserve Wetland Construction

The Averill Nature Preserve is a 73 acre site that is situated between the Tittabawassee River and the Pere Marquette Trail in Midland County. An existing drain that passes through the property drains a much larger watershed above the Averill preserve. The drain was inadequately sized to handle the flow, and had cracked – allowing most of the water to miss the drain completely, eroding land around the drain. The Little Forks Conservancy used WIN funding to construct a unique four-cell wetland to eliminate the need for the compromised drain, maintain stormwater conveyance, and serve as a polishing basin during storm events. These wetland cells include native plantings and habitat components, and serve as an education facility for this innovative stormwater management alternative.

Edward M. Golson Jr. Boat Launch & Nature Park Outdoor Education Curriculum

This project developed and installed interpretive signage along existing trails at this public access point, as well as developed an associated outdoor education curricula appropriate for elementary, middle and high school students who wish to use this 37 acre site along the Saginaw River. Funds were used, in part, to hire a student majoring in education at Saginaw Valley State University to develop a site-specific curriculum that meets both Great Lakes ecosystem and fisheries education literacy goals as designated in the Michigan Curriculum Framework content Standards and Benchmarks.

Public Access Point for Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

This project developed a formerly unimproved and informal boat launching facility into a multi-purpose public access point for the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge. Improvements included a new boat launch and associated demonstration of new bank stabilization techniques to prevent further erosion, as well as a fishing access site.

Sanford Lake Handicap Accessible Fishing/Viewing Platform

Based on a need indicated in the 1999 WIN Fisheries Scoping Study, this project provided funding for a public access site and general fisheries information kiosk at a site adjacent to Midland County’s Sanford Lake. The Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division and local sporting groups had identified limited access to this lake as an impediment to the fishery. This project was sponsored by the Village of Sanford.

Evaluation of Lake Sturgeon in the Saginaw River Watershed

This three year project investigated the Tittabawassee, Shiawassee, Cass, and Saginaw Rivers, to determine if lake sturgeon were utilizing these rivers for spawning. The study area included the free flowing portions of these rivers from Lake Huron up river to the first impassable barrier. Anecdotal reports by recreational anglers indicated that occasionally adult lake sturgeon are being captured below the lowhead dam on the Tittabawassee River near the town of Midland. The origin, distribution and spawning success of that population of lake sturgeon wasunknown. Personnel from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Alpena FRO (Service) surveyed these rivers for the presence of spawning lake sturgeon. Information gathered is providing essential data required to guide future habitat protection, enhancement, and restoration activities in the Saginaw River watershed. This project was a crucial first step in determining the present and potential contribution of lake sturgeon from these rivers to adjacent populations in Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. Additionally, this effort is assisting in the recovery of sturgeon from state “Threatened” status and is consistent with MDNR Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Strategy (LSRS). Funding of this project allowed the Service to participate in and expedite the Lake Huron Bi-National Partnership process including on the ground restoration actions and support an International Joint Commission initiative for delisting the Saginaw River as an Areas of Concern.

Promoting Healthy Choices of Fish Consumption from the Saginaw, Shiawassee and Tittabawassee Rivers

This project studied and developed informational materials related to contamination of edible fishes in these rivers. It comes from a point of view that eating fish is healthy and desirable, but people should understand what type of fish should be eaten, and where those fish can be caught. The project identified choices made by local fish and wildlife harvesters along these rivers including amount, type, and frequency of fish and wildlife consumption from the Saginaw, Shiawassee, and Tittabawassee Rivers; with emphasis on documenting subsistence, cultural or low-income users dependent on the rivers for high quality protein, conduct discussions with community groups to identify citizen needs and opportunities to communicate with citizens that may consume fish and wildlife from the river, develop outreach products that promote healthy local fish and wildlife consumption choices, reducing exposure to PBT chemicals.

Saginaw Bay Sustainable Business Forum (Phase 2)

This proposal is a request for second year funding of a three-year project to develop the Saginaw Bay Sustainable Business Partnership. The first year of the program has resulted in the successful creation of a sustainable business organization and an interim board of directors composed of charter members. The second year funding is to create technical work groups composed of member companies to develop guidance and implementation tools on sustainable purchasing, environmental management systems and green facility operation.