Partners involved: Conservation Resource Alliance, Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation, Upper Manistee Watershed
Restoration Committee, US Fish & Wildlife Service,
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Trout
Unlimited Chapters,
Best Management Practices:
Installation of over 165 LWD
structures along ~6,000 lineal feet of
N. Branch Manistee River
Project Benefits:
Woody debris provides hiding and
resting cover for a variety of fish and
wildlife species
Woody debris provides substrate for
aquatic insects
Secured woody debris and platform
structures will help divert the current
away from sensitive streambanks
By protecting sensitive streambanks,
woody debris work will help decrease
excessive sedimentation of mainstem.
Woody debris restores natural function
and channel form to rivers
Location Sections 25, 26, 35, 36
Excelsior Twp.
Kalkaska County, MI
N44.695093 degrees
W-85.000108 degrees
Contributors:
Michigan Department of Natural
Resources Fisheries Division Habitat
Improvement Account
Great Lakes Fish & Wildlife Restoration
Act Grant - U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service
Great Lake Restoration Initiative
Trout & Salmon Foundation
Elliott Donnelly Chapter of Trout
Unlimited
Paul Young Chapter of
Trout Unlimited
Sustain Our Great Lakes Grant
administered by the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation
Conservation Resource Alliance
Telephone: 231-946-6817
Email: [email protected]
www.rivercare.org
The North Branch of the Manistee River in Kalkaska County is a unique cold,
groundwater-fed tributary to the Manistee River and is a state designated
Natural River providing habitat for numerous federal and state
endangered/threatened species. It has a naturally reproducing population of
brook trout and a small brown trout population. This phase of the project
focused on incorporating approximately 165 large woody debris structures on
over 6,000 lineal feet of the North Branch Manistee River providing
instream habitat for a variety of aquatic species. Woody debris structures
were constructed underwater along streambanks with larger pieces secured
at the water’s surface. CRA worked with Kanouse Outdoor Restoration to
restore over 1 mile of river that was negatively impacted from the trout farm
and associated dams.
Flowing Well Trout Farm
Large Woody Debris Instream Habitat Restoration
North Branch Manistee River
Before
Exposed Flowing Well Trout Farm impoundment bottomlands post dam removal
North Branch Manistee River lacking instream woody debris
During LWD Installation
After LWD Installation
Log/tree fish cover structures with brush installed
Deep pool formation
Exposed pockets of gravels starting to reappear in stream bottom
Over 165 LWD structures were placed and secured helping to restore ~1 mile of river benefitting many
aquatic and terrestrial species
Recommended
