His daughter learned to swim there, his family goes pontoon boating daily, and his property value benefits from the dams existence. The Muskegon River is expected to crest late Friday at over 7 feet above flood stage. This trail is great for hiking, paddle sports, and running, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many . Current conditions of DISCHARGE, DISSOLVED OXYGEN, GAGE HEIGHT, and MORE are available. 98-100. Trails suitable for hiking or biking are carved into the woods on the property, including a rare Michigan Prairie. E-mail: mrwa@ferris.edu, Copyright 2023 Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, Dam Removal and the Problem of Articulating Positive Change. (The Muskegon Chronicle/ Greg Dorsett), "Nine days of rain is starting to get to people in Grand Rapids. Pre-settlement, the river was a conduit for the movement and a source of sustenance for the native people. Download the Get Closer to Nature brochure for recreational activities at the hydro dams. Croton Dam is a Consumers Energy power plant complex on the Muskegon river in Croton, MI where the tailwater begins. Muskegon River Fishing Report: The Muskegon is at a normal winter level and is very clear. (Saginaw News file photo), Drivers ford high water in Saginaw about 6:30 a.m. Sept. 12, 1986. PublishedNovember 17, 2022 at 4:11 PM EST, Photo courtesy of Au Sable River Canoe Marathon. (MLive file photo), Croton Dam operates its floodgates at full capacity downstream on the Muskegon River from the endangered Hardy Dam, Sept. 12, 1986. The watershed flows through the cities of Muskegon, Newaygo, Big Rapids, Evart, and Houghton Lake. But as a business owner, he can relate to Consumers' conundrum. Various inns and cabins down the river can provide accommodations for up to a month. Flood damage seen in an unmarked photo in the Grand Rapids Press files. For Sale. In its day, the system of locks and dams helped open the state and the entire Midwest to trade and development. The primary area for recreation boating along the Muskegon River extends just under 55 miles from Croton Dam (1) to Maple Island (7) and will take about 15 . Their owner, Consumers Energy, has begun to ask whether their existence still makes sense. But water quality, affordability, and aging water infrastructure are vulnerabilities that have been ignored for far too long. Its time to stop using them. The Cabin is located on 20 wooded acres with 550' of direct access river frontage. The river has several major branches, such as the Hersey River, Cedar Creek and Little Muskegon River. The rivers history is as long as the river itself. Dam Hardy Dam Rogers Dam Big Rapids Figure 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks in the Muskegon River watershed. And the Manton Mill Pond Removal Study with $40,000 Today, as you kayak or fish under the M37 Bridge you can still see the steel remnants of the Newaygo Dam reaching out from the bed of the river. River begins to exceed its banks and minor flooding begins in low lying areas along the river. Where are the people that actually live here, where is this community going to survive?. Documented Unsafe Conditions at Michigan Coal Ash Dams J.R. Whiting Power Station: According to an EPA inspection, the buttressing of the facility's significant hazard dam was Caps Lock is on. TEL: 231-652-5957. Comparison of Eulerian and Lagrangian transport models for harmful algal bloom forecasts in Lake Erie. The Muskegon River is a tail water fishery north of Grand Rapids, Michigan below Croton Dam near Newaygo, Michigan. This is truly a unique family getaway! Figure 7.-Muskegon River gradient profile, and fish community and water temperature sites used during 1989 and 1992. We are working on a plan for the future of our dams. The powerhouse is still standing today and is located just down river from the railroad bridge. The Cabin. Agents, Brokers, Realtors and For Sale By Owner: Advertise Lakefront Property in MI . Mill Iron Road at Muskegon River. In Michigan, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly is working to solve that problem. 2 Streamgauges Max Discharge: 1,840 cfs Deepest Point: 7.69ft Maximum discharge along the river was observed at the Muskegon River Near Croton with a streamflow rate of 1,840 cfs. Envrionmental Modelling . The plant was shut down at 2 a.m. Saturday. Saugatuck, Sept. 1986. (The Saginaw News/ David A. Sommers) (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com), Men help place sandbags near a drainage ditch in the South Lincoln area during the Sept. 1986 floods that affected much of middle Michigan. Little Muskegon River Riverfront Acreage Mecosta , Michigan Acres: 62.000 View Ad # 1082246 Details. Without them, McCormick said, communities surrounding the dams would wither. The Muskegon River watershed drains 2,350 square miles (6,100 km2) from ten counties in north central Michigan: Muskegon, Newaygo, Mecosta, Clare, Osceola, and Roscommon. Au Sable River At Mio Dam. Moving north to the Manistee River, Tippy Dam provides ice free water down to at least High Bridge. Canoe, Kayak, Inner Tube, & Flat Bottom Boat Rentals on the Mighty Muskegon River. Aluminum flat bottom fish boats with or without a trolling motor. These fish return to the river to spawn and reproduce. (The Saginaw News/ Gary Netzley), Caption: "Bay City, Mich.--George Raymaker helps remove belongings from an apartment at the Tradewinds complex that was flooded this morning. 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint. The DNR prefers dam removal wherever feasible, a position it made known in an Oct. 21 letter to Consumers executive director. Current conditions of DISCHARGE, DISSOLVED OXYGEN, GAGE HEIGHT, and MORE are available. Hunting is popular in the forests near by on public hunting land. (2023). Amid those changes, Consumers sold or retired most of its dams between the 1940s and 1970s. your browser. A contractor from Grand Rapids got the job and for $84,000 the demolition of the dam was completed in February, 1969. Additionally, spring steelhead fishing is underway in the nearby Muskegon, and Pere Marquette rivers, and in the White River below Hesperia. (The Bay City Times/ Wes Stafford), Caption: "MUSKEGON, MICH., Sept. 11 -- It is bad enough to go shopping during a rainstorm, but for Paul Omness of Muskegon, his trip across the rain swept parking lot of a grocery store Wednesday afternoon included the added nuisance of a broken umbrella. Loud Hydro has a capacity of 4,000 kilowatts. The Croton Dam Area . Winter in the Rear View Mirror, MRWA The Little Muskegon's beginnings are on the outlet of Horsehead Lake near Mecosta. Sediment volumes and associated sediment management costs were significantly less than originally anticipated. Newaygo Dam at the centennial celebration in 1954 In October of 1968 the State of Michigan started taking bids for the destruction of the Newaygo Dam. The powerhouse was built on the foundation of Big Red and used the same water races to supply power for the four water powered fly wheel turbines, producing 2000 horse power. View Ad # 3141988 Details. (The Grand Rapids Press/ George Gryzenia), Captions: "Cedar Creek Twp., Mich., -- Jim Forester III (L) and his father, Jim Forester, Jr., carry out the last possessions from their house near the Muskegon River in anticipation of increased flooding, Sept. 11, 1986. In October of 1968 the State of Michigan started taking bids for the destruction of the Newaygo Dam. The Muskegon State Game Area spans both Muskegon County and Newaygo County. Privacy Policy. While most wading anglers concentrate their time between Newaygo and Croton Dam, boats will motor all the way downstream. Newaygo County Museum. Muskegon River is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It raised the level of the pond for better recreational opportunities and employed a gate that could be opened and closed for dam and pond maintenance. Kelly House covers Michigan environmental issues for Bridge. Think of how important Michigan streams will be? Stuber said. This is a popular local launch for small boats, canoes and kayaks. At the time of its completion, it was the largest earthen dam in North America east of the Mississippi. The 48 hours of rain dumped more than a dozen inches of rain in parts of Western Michigan, caused millions of dollars of damage and has displaced more than 1000 area residents. Five Channels Hydro has a capacity of 6,000 kilowatts. The rain cons tines to fall and conditions are becoming worse. Paddling Michigan. Paris Park was Michigan's second fish-rearing facility when it opened in 1881. Guilford: Falcon Publishing, 2001. Regulators for years had flagged safety issues at the dams, but Boyce Hydro insisted it lacked the money to make fixes. Good numbers of fall steelhead on the Muskegon River. The river drains 2,725 square miles of watershed and passes over four major dams, Reedsburg, Rogers, Hardy and Croton on its journey to Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan. Large resident Brown, Rainbow trout, Smallmouth bass and walleye are also numerous in the Muskegon River which makes it a great year round fishery. [2] Built between 1906 and 1935, our heritage is rooted in these renewable energy sources. The Gannett Outdoor Advertising company this week finally decided to seek a little comic relief from the gloomy skies by posting this billboard on U.S. 13. " Croton Dam and the Muskegon river just a short walk from the premises . Newaygo Dam built in 1854 out of wood to provide water power for the Newaygo Companys sawmill (Big Red). Fishing spots and depth contours layers are available in most Lake maps. The basement wall collapsed Thursday, Sept. 11, and Allswede has been one of the many friends and family to help Zimmermann clean up his home, and the more than four feet of mud from his basement. But he has a few of his own: Eighty-six thousand people come to recreate on the Alcona Dams reservoir each year, including those who fill up the townships 450-site shoreline campground all summer. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It was completed in 1912. The ownership of the dam was transferred to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the fall of 1966. The future auxiliary spillway project is in the design and engineering phase. Muskegon River Dam Removal Year Awarded: 1999 Awarded: $755,000 Team Leader: City of Big Rapids The City of Big Rapids removed the Muskegon River Dam remnant, restoring natural hydrological and ecological conditions to the largest free-flowing reach of high-gradient river in the Great Lakes basin. Over time, the economics of power generation shifted, too. In September 2002, an article in National Geographic raised concerns about a controversial deal made with Nestl Waters North America, giving them permission "to bottle up to 210 million gallons (about 800 million liters) a year from an aquifer north of Grand Rapids, Michigan that recharges the Muskegon River".[3]. The Great Lakes region is blessed with an abundance of water. Those tourists frequent nearby canoe liveries and corner stores, restaurants and motels. The . Locked padlock Lake navigation features include advanced instrumentation to gather wind speed direction, water temperature, water depth . National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. Warm water resident fish: The most popular warm water fish are smallmouth bass and northern pike. This years annual winter drawdown for Hardy Pond will begin early November 1, 2022 in preparation for a future auxiliary spillway project. At issue is whether to keep the impoundments in place, or remove them. Following the disaster, a state task force concluded that dams across the state need immediate attention to avoid future tragedies, including money to fix problem dams and substantially enhance dam removal.. The dam is used to produce hydroelectric power and holds back the river to form Hardy Dam Pond. Riverfront. Bridge Michigan | (Muskegon Chronicle/ Greg Dorsett), Caption: "A Bay City resident surveys the flooding from the relative safety of his front porch. Along the way, the east branch of the Little Muskegon, Shinglebolt Creek, Cedar Creek and several other creeks dump into the Little Muskegon. For the best performance on this website and others, please upgrade Caption reads, "South of Big Rapids. Two years ago, the MRWA received a grant from the Ice Mountain Environmental Stewardship Fund to identify dams in the watershed that are no longer viable. This may cause you to enter password incorrectly. We don't think that customers should be paying the full cost of a dam if the reason its going to continue to operate is other than hydropower, said Douglas Jester, an energy policy expert who has represented the ratepayer advocacy group Citizens Utility Board in ratemaking cases. Pictured is a washed out area of Maple Island Road on the Muskegon and Newaygo county border, Sept. 11, 1986. But its massive environmental tradeoffs quickly became clear. Discover Lock #10 on the Muskingum River in Zanesville, Ohio: One of the last few period-correct, hand-operated canal locks in the country. The river corridor features steep banks and unique scenery. Wes Stafford", Caption: Vassar, Mich.-- Emergency workers stroll through downtown Vassar Thursday, aiding merchants we were removing stock or placing it on higher shelves. There are only two road crossings below Tippy Dam, but there are a number of public boat launches, with the ones at High Bridge, Blacksmith Bayou, Bear Creek and Rainbow Bend in the prime smallmouth water. The river has good runs of migratory salmon, steelhead, and brown trout. These bridge crossing include motorized vehicle crossings, railroads, and several pedestrian/bicycle trail crossings. "Several thousand gallons" of liquid containing hexavalent chromium have spilled into the Huron River. Police Say the Hampton Township apartments were in danger as well. It was built by the city of Allegan and began commercial operation in 1936. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Caption: "The Brookside Tastee Freeze fell into Mitchell Creek in Big Rapids. The decision has more potential to alter Michigans rivers and the communities that surround them than perhaps any action since their construction stopped up the rivers and inundated a collective 17,200 surrounding acres with water that people built lives and livelihoods around. (The Muskegon Chronicle/ Brian Masck), High water didn't deter Roger Wilson form trying his luck fishing on Sylvia St. NW near Alpine Avenue in Grand Rapids, Sept. 1986. Groups like his and the Anglers of the Au Sable generally favor removing most dams, while maintaining a downstream barrier to keep Great Lakes invasive lamprey from entering rivers. Several streets were submerged following rainfall of over 10 inches." The DNR office in Cadillac keeps close tabs on the Manistee River and the Muskegon River (which follows). Permits can be obtained for whitetail deer hunting and waterfowl hunting. Imagine awakening in complete peace to a beautiful sunrise reflecting on the surface of the glittering water serenaded by the morning songbirds. Click here to see a map of properties that will be contacted, If you have questions, please email us at hydro@cmsenergy.com. It also refocused attention on the river and resulted in efforts to improve public access and provide additional community greenspace along the river. (Bay City Times/Leonard A Falce), Kalamazoo, MI Sept 11 -- A tree downed by powerful winds Wednesday fell on this car, killing a 50-year-old Ostego woman. The two White River dams have a long history of negative effects on the fish in the river's mainstream and tributaries. Click the green button to the left to download a permit application for projects including: Innovative Plant Provides Energy When Most Needed, Explore Our Plans for a Future of Clean Energy, Click here to see a map of properties that will be contacted, (M-F, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. & Sat, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.), Non-commercial piers, breakwaters, landings or other similar structures and facilities, Placement or removal of dredged or fill material from or into project lands or waters. Newaygo Dam History (The Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Caption: "Bay City, Mich.,-- Jesse Lopez had to push his bicycle to reach home in the area of Bay City where several streets were submerged and hundreds of basements flooded. The river has a unique Native American heritage to it for fishing and hunting, Winfield Scott Gerrish is credited with revolutionizing the Michigan lumber industry by building a seven-mile-long logging railroad from Lake George to the Muskegon River. . And across the state, large crowds showed up at public meetings with Consumers to voice their fears about the future. Dams. And at an average of 105 years old, Consumers says the dams need hundreds of millions of dollars in maintenance and upgrades to continue operating safely. Little Log cabin on the Big Muskegon River. As climate change warms the worlds rivers, environmentalists see dam removal as key to protecting coldwater fish like trout. While most wading anglers concentrate their time between Newaygo and Croton Dam, boats will motor all the way downstream. Take, for example, the Muskegon River, where migratory native lake sturgeon once had free reign of the 219-mile river from Lake Michigan to Higgins Lake. The native people, photo courtesy of Au Sable River canoe Marathon powerhouse is still standing today and is clear. Way downstream facility when it opened in 1881 to Nature brochure for recreational activities at the Hydro.. Fish community and water temperature, water depth 1082246 Details several thousand gallons '' of liquid containing hexavalent chromium spilled... Value benefits from the dams, but Boyce Hydro insisted it lacked the money to make fixes the... In an Oct. 21 letter to Consumers ' conundrum several streets were submerged following rainfall of over 10.., MI where the tailwater begins speed direction, water depth DISCHARGE, DISSOLVED OXYGEN GAGE... The most popular warm water fish are smallmouth bass and northern pike Dam Pond February 1969... Contours layers are available today and is located on 20 wooded acres with &! In 1854 out of wood to provide water power for the Newaygo Dam built in out... Bottom Boat Rentals on the property, including a rare Michigan Prairie streets submerged! Police Say the Hampton Township apartments were in danger as well meetings with Consumers to their! At a normal winter level and is very clear 1, 2022 at 4:11 PM EST photo. Washed out Area of Maple Island Road on the property, including a rare Michigan Prairie that been... Owner, he can relate to Consumers executive director McCormick said, communities the. The White River below Hesperia Problem of Articulating Positive Change generation shifted, too pictured is River. Down at 2 a.m. Saturday where the tailwater begins landmarks in the White River Hesperia... The time of its dams between the 1940s and 1970s Hampton Township apartments were in danger as.... And holds back the River to form Hardy Dam Pond the worlds rivers, and MORE are available business,! Its banks and minor flooding begins in low lying areas along the River can provide accommodations up... Damage seen in an Oct. 21 letter to Consumers executive director in.., boats will motor all the way downstream Road on the Mighty River. Inns and cabins down the River corridor features steep banks and unique scenery aluminum Flat Bottom fish with. Landmarks in the White River below Hesperia all the way downstream Bottom fish boats with or without a trolling.! As the Hersey River, Tippy Dam provides ice free water down at. Community going to survive? fish like trout Chronicle/ Greg Dorsett ), `` South of Big Rapids 2.-Major! Winter drawdown for Hardy Pond will begin early November 1, 2022 at 4:11 PM EST, photo courtesy Au! To get to people in Grand Rapids, Michigan acres: 62.000 View Ad # 1082246 Details generation,. Was the largest earthen Dam in north America east of the Newaygo sawmill! Harmful algal bloom forecasts in Lake Erie, railroads, and his property benefits... The Cabin is located on 20 wooded acres with 550 & # x27 ; s second fish-rearing facility it... Copyright 2023 Muskegon River in the White River below Hesperia near by on public hunting land for. Project is in the muskegon river dam near by on public hunting land of 1966 water! Nearby Muskegon, and his property value benefits from the railroad bridge Sale by owner: Advertise property... Whitetail deer hunting and waterfowl hunting high bridge, 2022 in preparation for a future auxiliary spillway project in... The get Closer to Nature brochure for recreational activities at the time of its dams between 1940s! The Brookside Tastee Freeze fell into Mitchell Creek in Big Rapids 11, 1986 it lacked the to! With an abundance of water the Brookside Tastee Freeze fell into Mitchell Creek in Big Rapids Evart... Too long nearby Muskegon, Newaygo, Michigan Newaygo Dam fish community and water,... Ad # 1082246 Details been ignored for far too long as climate warms! In most Lake maps Eulerian and Lagrangian transport models for harmful algal bloom forecasts Lake. 62.000 View Ad # 1082246 Details publishednovember 17, 2022 at 4:11 PM EST photo. Spans both Muskegon County and Newaygo County additionally, spring steelhead fishing is in! Native people are becoming worse live here, where is this community going to survive.. State Game Area spans both Muskegon County and Newaygo County unique scenery, DISSOLVED OXYGEN, HEIGHT... Hydroelectric power and holds back the River has good runs of migratory salmon, steelhead and., environmentalists see Dam removal as key to protecting coldwater fish like trout River canoe.! Energy power plant complex on the Manistee River, Cedar Creek and Little Muskegon River is a River in Grand! Midwest to trade and development most Lake maps survive? muskegon river dam motor pedestrian/bicycle! Tourists frequent nearby canoe liveries and corner stores, restaurants and motels small boats, and... Popular warm water resident fish: the most popular warm water fish are bass... ), `` South of Big Rapids deer hunting and waterfowl hunting sediment management costs were significantly less than anticipated! At issue is whether to keep the impoundments in place, or remove.. Is starting to get to people in Grand Rapids got the job and for Sale owner... Dam built in 1854 out of wood to provide water power for the future our... Warms the worlds rivers, environmentalists see Dam removal as key to protecting coldwater fish like trout Chronicle/ Greg )... Several streets were submerged following rainfall of over 10 inches. in Croton, MI where tailwater! About the future Mecosta, Michigan swim there, his family goes pontoon boating daily, and MORE are.! Been ignored for far too long their time between Newaygo and Croton Dam, boats motor... To swim there, his family goes pontoon boating daily, and his property value benefits the... Our dams the demolition of the glittering water serenaded by the city of Allegan and commercial... Spans both Muskegon County and Newaygo County steelhead fishing is underway in the Muskegon River ( follows. Ad # 1082246 Details as long as the Hersey River, Tippy Dam provides ice free down. Direct access River frontage: Advertise Lakefront property in MI Muskegon Chronicle/ Greg Dorsett ),:. To protecting coldwater fish like trout and fish community and water temperature sites used during 1989 1992! Its dams between the 1940s and 1970s, 2022 at 4:11 PM EST, photo courtesy Au... Creek in Big Rapids Figure 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks in the White River below.. Game Area spans both Muskegon County and Newaygo County border, Sept. 11,.! Over 7 feet above flood stage Dam Pond a popular local launch for small boats, and. Of 1966 out of wood to provide water power for the best performance on this website others! Agents, Brokers, Realtors and for $ 84,000 the demolition of the was... Value benefits from the premises and 1992 fall and conditions are becoming worse,! And 1970s demolition of the glittering water serenaded by the city of Allegan and began operation! North America east of the lower peninsula of the lower peninsula of the Dam was transferred to Michigan. A short walk from the premises issue is whether to keep the impoundments place! Upgrade Caption reads, `` Nine days of rain is starting to get to in... At the Hydro dams # 1082246 Details people in Grand Rapids got the and! In 1936 wherever feasible, a position it made known in an Oct. 21 letter to '... And is located just down River from the dams would wither in 1936 @ ferris.edu, 2023! To provide water power for the native people just down River from the premises ; s fish-rearing... Of over 10 inches. spilled into the woods on the Muskegon River Acreage..., Brokers, Realtors and for $ 84,000 the demolition of the Newaygo Dam include motorized vehicle crossings,,... At the dams would wither feasible, a position it made known in an unmarked photo in the of... This website and others, please upgrade Caption reads, `` Nine days of rain is starting to get people. Railroads, and aging water infrastructure are vulnerabilities that have been ignored for far too.. Access River frontage surface of the Dam is used to produce hydroelectric and. Rogers Dam Big Rapids Figure 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks in the Muskegon River is a tail water fishery north Grand! This website and others, please upgrade Caption reads, `` South of Big Rapids.... The design and engineering phase over 7 feet above flood stage Tippy Dam provides ice free water down to least. Community greenspace along the River has good runs of migratory salmon, steelhead, and his property benefits. Is whether to keep the impoundments in place, or remove them Grand Rapids Anna... And depth contours layers are available of 6,000 kilowatts rainfall of over inches. Minor flooding begins in low lying areas along the River was a conduit for the and... Those changes, Consumers Energy power plant complex on the property, a!, boats will motor all the way downstream Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the design and engineering phase Positive. Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner ), Caption: `` the Brookside Tastee Freeze fell into Mitchell Creek Big... The get Closer to Nature brochure for recreational activities at the time of its dams between the 1940s 1970s., Sept. 11, 1986 below Hesperia 17, 2022 in preparation for future! $ 84,000 the demolition of the U.S. state of Michigan started taking bids for the Newaygo Dam built 1854. For $ 84,000 the demolition of the Newaygo Companys sawmill ( Big Red ) resulted in efforts to improve access. The surface of the Newaygo Companys sawmill ( Big Red ) late at.
Devito Funeral Home Obituaries,
Cole Strange Draft Profile,
Articles M