I still remember the first time that I caught a walleye in Michigan’s Lake Huron. It was 1982, and I was 10 years old and had driven two miles out into Saginaw Bay in a 12-foot boat with a vintage Johnson Seahorse motor that ran well… most of the time. I recall that I was nearly as excited to show off my fish when I got back to the dock, as I was to prove that the motor didn’t let me down.
I grew up on a tributary of Saginaw Bay called the Kawkawlin River (which Native Americans referred to as Oganconning, or place of the walleyepike fish), and had a fishing pole in my hand not long after I learned to walk. Therein lies the significance of not catching a walleye until I was 10. The simple fact is that until the 1980s, walleye in what is now known as the world’s greatest walleye fishery were nearly non-existent. Overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction had taken their toll and all but eliminated a species that was once common in Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. Luckily, with a lot of work by local fishing clubs, nonprofit organizations, and the state and federal governments, walleye populations have rebounded significantly and now are providing important recreational fishing opportunities and driving economic growth in the region.
Here in Michigan, The Conservation Fund administers a unique project called the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), launched with support from The Dow Chemical Company and 12 foundation and corporate partners. This broad partnership of corporate, philanthropic and local partners aims to improve environmental conditions, as well as support economic and community growth—the concept known as “sustainability.” WIN provides grant funding as well as access to technical and project support across Michigan’s largest watershed. It’s often referred to as the region’s “environmental collaborator,” ushering and nurturing community projects and facilitating stakeholders who are interested in improving regional quality of life. Much of WIN’s work has been focused on improving the Saginaw Bay fishery.
The former Shiatown Dam on the Shiawassee River was an example of a dangerous and obsolete structure. This dam was partially removed in 2015, with complete removal scheduled in 2016 to allow for restoration of the natural watercourse. Photo by Kevin Denny.
While the continuing improvement of the fishery is testament to the work that has been done, there is still much to do. Dams influence water flow, temperature, habitat and depth. In particular, dams that are relics of a bygone era continue to impede the ability of fish, including walleye, to reach historically significant spawning areas. On the Saginaw River system alone, more than 300 dams that were once used for power generation, flood control, and agricultural purposes remain—the vast majority of which are abandoned and in disrepair, presenting environmental and safety concerns. WIN has been able to work with communities to not only remove dams for fish migration purposes, but also lever the use of their rivers after dam removal for recreational purposes including canoeing, kayaking and fishing.
Such is the case in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Known as Michigan’s “little Bavaria,” this quaint German-themed town is a popular tourist attraction. Located on the Cass River, a Saginaw Bay tributary, Frankenmuth struggled with an abandoned dam that was no longer serving the purposes it was built for 160 years ago. The community wanted to maintain the impoundment above the dam for riverboat tours, and therefore the ideal solution was to construct a “rock ramp,” which is essentially a series of constructed rapids that doesn’t change the river’s profile, yet allows for fish passage (specifically walleye and lake sturgeon in this case).
An aerial view of the rock ramp in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District.
The result is improved habitat providing access to key upstream areas and tributaries, as well new and improved access for kayakers and fishermen. The fact that this project is in Michigan’s most-visited tourist town provides additional opportunities to showcase this rather elegant solution to a community problem that can be used elsewhere in Michigan and across the country.
The ribbon cutting ceremony marking the completion of the Cass River dam removal project. Photo by Michael Kelly.
This project, and several more like it across the Saginaw Bay Watershed, has been a great example of how collaboration can result in improved habitat and increased access to some of our most important river systems for both fish and people. The Conservation Fund is proud to be a partner in these projects that are paying dividends for both wildlife and people across the region. People like my own 10-year-old son, who now does not have to travel far from home to catch walleye!
My son proudly holding up the walleye he caught in Saginaw Bay. Photo by Michael Kelly.
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