(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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the Prisoners from the Tuscola county jail were assisting with the filling of sandbags. Hardy Dam Lake is a popular destination for boating, fishing, and other water-based recreational activities. We offer docks, showers, water, and electricity, sewage disposal, playgrounds, and picnic areas. This years annual winter drawdown for Hardy Pond will begin early November 1, 2022 in preparation for a future auxiliary spillway project. The restoration to normal operating water levels will be by May 26, 2023 (Friday prior to Memorial Day weekend). Alcona Hydro has a capacity of 8,000 kilowatts. [8] The smaller Reedsburg Dam is near the source of the Muskegon River. Discover Lock #10 on the Muskingum River in Zanesville, Ohio: One of the last few period-correct, hand-operated canal locks in the country. MECOSTA COUNTY Deteriorating dams have become an increasingly urgent issue across the United States. The 13 that remain provide just 1.2 percent of the utilitys annual power mix, barely enough to cover their $12.6 million in annual operating costs. The river passes through Clare County, Osceola County, Mecosta County, Newaygo County, and Muskegon County, and generally flows southwesterly to its mouth at Muskegon, Michigan, where it empties into Muskegon Lake. The three major dams of the Muskegon River (Rogers, Hardy and Croton) generate about 45,600 kilowatts, with about 30,000 of that from Hardy Dam. Think of how important Michigan streams will be? Stuber said. The rivers history is as long as the river itself. Au . (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. (The Muskegon Chronicle/ Greg Dorsett), "Nine days of rain is starting to get to people in Grand Rapids. The Muskegon River is expected to crest late Friday at over 7 feet above flood stage. Constructing blinds, target shooting, baiting, burning and fire pits are strictly prohibited on all Consumers Energy land. Check out The Dragon--a 40-mile bike and hike trail system. Shirley Gunnerson was riding in the vehicle driven by her son, Andrew, and another youth when the storm forced them off the road. The river might be a better place to fish, he said, but there wouldn't be anybody around here to fish it.. Muskegon River (/mskin/ ms-KEE-gn) is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. menominee river at white rapids dam near banat, mi -- -- -- 04066800: menominee river at koss, mi -- -- -- 04067500: menominee river near mc allister, wi . And she fears removing the dam could release PCB-contaminated sediments from the reservoir, creating new environmental consequences. Contact Us. Just west of this tiny town near Oscoda sits one of six hydroelectric dams that tamed the Au Sable River a century ago to supply power to a growing population. But many of Consumers dams are surrounded by largely-undeveloped land, leaving far fewer people to split the tab. Now, the massive ancient fish can go a few dozen miles before a concrete wall blocks their path. It was completed in 1918 and is named after our founder. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Y&pbP;Ai ?^e`Plt("+r7aA #9L7- \ ]AfNe 2y09Q$w^Pw &> endobj 10 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 11 0 obj <>stream When wading you can enter private property if you stay within the clearly defined banks of the stream, and only walk the bank to avoid a hazard. It also refocused attention on the river and resulted in efforts to improve public access and provide additional community greenspace along the river. The watershed encompasses a variety of land uses including agricultural, forest, recreational, urban, and commercial uses. In October of 1968 the State of Michigan started taking bids for the destruction of the Newaygo Dam. Au Sable River At Red Oak. It is connected to Lake Michigan by a shipping In Michigan, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly is working to solve that problem. All rights reserved (About Us). Lake navigation features include advanced instrumentation to gather wind speed direction, water temperature, water depth . The Hardy Dam on the Muskegon River, in Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan is also an earthen dam like the one at Hungarian Creek. Nearly 3,600 miles of roadways became impassible.Rogue River hit its record high level of 11.4 feet in September 1986 after more than a foot of rain fell over a two-day period. From there it flows mostly southwest to Muskegon, Michigan, where it empties into Muskegon Lake. Trails suitable for hiking or biking are carved into the woods on the property, including a rare Michigan Prairie. Fifty years later, lumbering had faded as a major industry in Michigan and the old wooden dam was in need of major repairs. Various inns and cabins down the river can provide accommodations for up to a month. Five Channels Hydro has a capacity of 6,000 kilowatts. MECOSTA COUNTY The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly and its partners have received funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support the removal of Altona and Buckhorn dam projects, according to a news release from the organization. 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. The heavy rains have caused the worst flooding in 100 years. Heavy rains sent the Cass River over its banks and into the Tuscola county community. Nightly camping or cabin reservations will begin February 1st at 4:00 pm. Click here to see a map of properties that will be contacted, If you have questions, please email us at hydro@cmsenergy.com. . The Muskegon River is a smooth flowing tailwater that reminds us of Montana's Missouri River below Coulter Dam. 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. The Little Muskegon's beginnings are on the outlet of Horsehead Lake near Mecosta. In 1967 a routine lowering of the pond by Consumers Power, in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Conservation, to determine if repairs were needed to insure the free migration of steelhead, trout, and walleye, uncovered flaws in the dam that were cost prohibitive to repair. From the Office of the Director The smaller Reedsburg Dam is near the source of the Muskegon River. Newaygo Dam at the centennial celebration in 1954. Our Address. Those wishing to report illegal activity on Consumers Energy property are asked to call our corporate security department at 800-760-3295. A community-based, volunteer partnership organization, Muskegon Lake Public and Private Landowners, Michigan Volunteer River, Creek, Stream Cleanup Program. Flood damage seen in an unmarked photo in the Grand Rapids Press files. The only exception to this rule is where special provisions apply to our lands which encompass 12,000 acres bordering our Au Sable, Manistee and Muskegon river hydro facilities, where hunting is allowed. Directions. Trout fishing season opens the last Saturday in April. At issue is whether to keep the impoundments in place, or remove them. Camping is another popular activity around the river, with several shoreline parks and campgrounds. Racers exit their boat to portage over each dams embankment, an opportunity to stretch legs cramped from hours in a canoe. A community-based, volunteer partnership organization. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Thunder Bay River At Bolton. Hydro power produces clean, reliable power that weve counted on for more than 100 years. If you receive an error, please return later this evening to view your updated balance and make a payment if needed. E-mail: mrwa@ferris.edu, Copyright 2023 Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, Dam Removal and the Problem of Articulating Positive Change. (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. 1009 Campus Drive JOH 200 Here's a Link for the Boat Launches from Newaygo Downstream At issue is whether to keep the impoundments in place, or remove them. Hardy Dam is an earth-filled embankment dam and powerplant complex on the Muskegon River in Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Consumers officials spent the fall making the rounds to communities surrounding the dams, from Newaygo and Big Rapids on the Muskegon, to Mesick and Brethren on the Manistee, assuring residents that the company has made no decisions yet. Those tourists frequent nearby canoe liveries and corner stores, restaurants and motels. Discover this 3.6-mile out-and-back trail near White Cloud, Michigan. (The Bay City Times/ Wes Stafford), Caption: "Muskegon, Mich.,-- Judy Love, who lives along Little Black Creek in Norton Shores, looks out over her back yard that is now a small lake. More than 90 years ago, the Hardy Dam was constructed on the Muskegon River in Newaygo County, and it was known as the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River. The Muskegon River never freezes so we fish all winter long, offering great fishing year around. Amid those changes, Consumers sold or retired most of its dams between the 1940s and 1970s. (2) USGS River gaging station on the Muskegon River looking upstream towards Croton Dam. The primary river channel is 216 miles (348km) long[1] and drains an area of 2,350 square miles (6,100km2). Fluctuations to rivers flow from the fillup and drawdown of reservoirs interrupted natural rhythms that guide many river species reproduction and growth cycles. (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. Refurbished Newaygo Dam completed 1901 by Portland Cement Company. Mrs. Gunnerson was pronounced dead at the scene. The river has good runs of migratory salmon, steelhead, and brown trout. The Cabin sleeps six - a king size bed on . Riverfront. Police Say the Hampton Township apartments were in danger as well. The river has several major branches, such as the Hersey River, Cedar Creek and Little Muskegon River. In the late 1800s, Muskegon was home to many different industries, including lumber mills, chemical companies, foundries, a coal-fired power plant, and a paper mill. The Muskegon State Game Area spans both Muskegon County and Newaygo County. In 1836, the state began building dams and locks on . The Muskegon River is a tail water fishery north of Grand Rapids, Michigan below Croton Dam near Newaygo, Michigan. Five Channels Hydro has a capacity of 6,000 kilowatts. 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. The ownership of the dam was transferred to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the fall of 1966. For much of the last century, it was a cheap and reliable form of energy. As a race organizer and lifelong resident of the area, Weiler said he has grown used to the dams existence. 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. (You can see where many trees have been scraped.) Webber Hydro has a capacity of 3,225 kilowatts. Viewing Consumers eventual exit from the hydro business as inevitable, he and his colleagues have begun working with Muskegon River communities to envision a future that doesn't involve the dams in their current form. Envrionmental Modelling . Toxic PFAS forever chemicals threaten both humans and wildlife. The dams fragmented rivers and warmed their water, harming fish. The Croton Dam Area . Boats need to be on the river no later than 1pm Monday - Friday and 2pm Saturday & Sunday. The Muskegon is close by if the White is too icy. As climate change warms the worlds rivers, environmentalists see dam removal as key to protecting coldwater fish like trout. 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. Built between 1906 and 1935, our heritage is rooted in these renewable energy sources. Over time, the economics of power generation shifted, too. Little Muskegon River. The river has its headwaters in Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. Dam Hardy Dam Rogers Dam Big Rapids Figure 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks in the Muskegon River watershed. Foote Hydro has a capacity of 9,000 kilowatts. Today, its one of the more expensive power sources we provide, said Adam Monroe, Consumers executive director of hydro operations. Today we operate 13 hydroelectric plants. Muskegon River Fishing Report: 02/18/2020 The lower river is still turning out steelhead. Caps Lock is on. Technicians are currently working on the problem. Newaygo, MI. The DNR prefers dam removal wherever feasible, a position it made known in an Oct. 21 letter to Consumers executive director. Copyright 2022 Great Lakes Protection Fund Large patios at all sites. Click here to read the letter hYn9>Nxx{xgc'F?ZGX2dew{nukd0:dXuT*eeZQ }Yr:F m*{6*rT.rR5gEC|E k7)oEx9Al:Q. River is bankfull. Lamb; rehabilitated 2000. Dams also warm rivers by trapping water in reservoirs and then releasing the sunbaked water downstream, harming fish such as trout that prefer temperatures below 70 degrees. (Muskegon Chronicle/ Greg Dorsett), Caption: "A Bay City resident surveys the flooding from the relative safety of his front porch. Additionally, spring steelhead fishing is underway in the nearby Muskegon, and Pere Marquette rivers, and in the White River below Hesperia. There is abundant wildlife, including otters, waterfowl, white-tailed deer, and eagles and, although development has been creeping in, the upper reaches are still fairly remote and natural with much of the surrounding land composed of state-owned tracts. Phone: 231-796-3420. (Saginaw News/ David A. Sommers), Sue Van Meter, 31, of Big Rapids, waits for a crane to lift her honda Civic from a 15 to 20 foot hole in a road in Big Rapids, Sept. 11, 1986. Wind, for example, is 31 times cheaper. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Free parking is available at a paved culdesac above a 50 yard gravel driveway that leads to a flat area right at the river's edge. There are other financial models: In mid-Michigan, property owners around the infamous Midland damstook control of them, covering maintenance costs with annual taxes imposed on properties near the reservoirs. Roads and campsites are paved. Along the way, the east branch of the Little Muskegon, Shinglebolt Creek, Cedar Creek and several other creeks dump into the Little Muskegon.

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