For suggestions to find the best web browser for you The DNR office in Cadillac keeps close tabs on the Manistee River and the Muskegon River (which follows). He spends his days advocating for the rivers health, and believes an undammed Muskegon River would produce a fishery on a world-stage level.. As a result the dam pond was never raised again. Feenstra Guide ServiceMuskegon River Fly Shop, Feenstra Guide ServiceGray Drake Lodge andGreat Lakes Fly Fishing/Fred VargasJay Allen Fly Fishing Guide Service, Sign up for Oak Brook Chapter email newsletters & announcements. Shirley Gunnerson was riding in the vehicle driven by her son, Andrew, and another youth when the storm forced them off the road. Canoe, Kayak, Inner Tube, & Flat Bottom Boat Rentals on the Mighty Muskegon River. We are intermittently experiencing technical difficulties with processing payments. Hunting is popular in the forests near by on public hunting land. There are approximately 31 bridge crossings over the Muskegon River waterway. Map Directions Satellite Photo Map Wikipedia Photo: Lar, CC BY-SA 3.0. Notable Places in the Area Its time to stop using them. Sediment volumes and associated sediment management costs were significantly less than originally anticipated. Zimmermann had four feet of mud in the basement when the wall collapsed, due to heavy rains in the Saginaw area. For more on what caused this flood, read Mark Torregrossa's story here. (Photo by Dale Atkins), Caption: "Joanie Wilson approaches Roger Wilson and pet dog along Sylvia Street NW near Apline Avenue NW. For Sale. Newaygo Powerhouse/Old Newaygo County Museum 4-17-18, Newaygo Grain Elevator the in background (photo-N.Looman). The river source is located at Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 7 days 30 days 1 year Change time span Retrieve data If you were to take out all the dams, said Scott Faulkner, executive director of the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, you would have a fishery that some have estimated is 50 to 100 times more productive than if the dams were here.. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Known as the "River of Marshes", anglers experience fun-filled days on the water fighting to catch the rainbow trout that were stocked in the river during the 1870s and the salmon later on in the 1960s. The heavy rains have caused the worst flooding in 100 years. It was completed in 1912. Fluctuations to rivers flow from the fillup and drawdown of reservoirs interrupted natural rhythms that guide many river species reproduction and growth cycles. The pond features a rustic "up north" setting that is a popular spot for . Those wishing to report illegal activity on Consumers Energy property are asked to call our corporate security department at 800-760-3295. Wes Stafford", Caption: Vassar, Mich.-- Emergency workers stroll through downtown Vassar Thursday, aiding merchants we were removing stock or placing it on higher shelves. They can be reached at (231) 775-9727. . hYn9>Nxx{xgc'F?ZGX2dew{nukd0:dXuT*eeZQ }Yr:F m*{6*rT.rR5gEC|E k7)oEx9Al:Q. Its not best for the river, said Tess Nelkie, board secretary of fishing and river conservation group Anglers of the Au Sable. For most of the trip the river travels at a steady 2.5 mph and even shallow portions of the . muskegon river at evart, mi : 843 : 903 +60 : 04121507: twin creek at eight mile road near evart, mi : 6.20 : 6.32 +0.1 : 04121944: little muskegon river near oak grove, mi : The Michigan Public Service Commission regulates the rates that utilities charge for electricity, a process that involves asking whether a utilitys proposed investments are reasonable, prudent and necessary, Commission Chair Dan Scripps said. 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. The dams fragmented rivers and warmed their water, harming fish. (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. Regulators for years had flagged safety issues at the dams, but Boyce Hydro insisted it lacked the money to make fixes. Construction dates will be shared when finalized. Lake-run brown trout are an often overlooked game fish that are most abundant from late September through March. Steelhead fishing is hit or miss in this cold water period of the year. 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. Explore nature trails or hunt our 20-acre property. Bridge Michigan | Invasive Plants and Waterfowl All of which lead Tonya Wertheimer to wonder: If the Alcona Dam were to disappear tomorrow, taking with it the 1,075-acre reservoir that draws tourists all summer long, would Glennies grocery store be next? [4] However, there were several Michigan logging railroads in operation in the 1850s, including the seven-mile-long Blendon Lumber Company railroad in Ottawa County, which was the first in the state to employ a steam locomotive in May 1857.[5]. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. If you receive an error, please return later this evening to view your updated balance and make a payment if needed. (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. Think of how important Michigan streams will be? Stuber said. Lake navigation features include advanced instrumentation to gather wind speed direction, water temperature, water depth . 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. Brian and his recreational vehicle park here." Share. The Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company (a predecessor to today's Consumers Energy Company) built the Croton Hydroelectric Plant in 1906 - 1907. The dam is used to produce hydroelectric power and holds back the river to form Hardy Dam Pond. Education Director You'll find the dam nine miles upstream from Lake Huron. Click here to read the letter Check out The Dragon--a 40-mile bike and hike trail system. Hardy Dam on the Muskegon River is one of the largest earthen dams in the world. We apologize for the inconvenience! On the Kalamazoo River, hundreds of residents who live on the reservoir created by the Calkins Bridge Dam have joined a property owners association that is lobbying for its survival. The river passes through Clare County, Osceola County, Mecosta County, Newaygo County, and Muskegon County, a. In its day, the system of locks and dams helped open the state and the entire Midwest to trade and development. 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint. Winter in the Rear View Mirror, MRWA Phone: 231-796-3420. It was completed in 1913. Official websites use .gov Both types of trout can be found in the twenty miles of river below Croton Dam. Thats far from certain. The dam spans the Muskegon River and creates a large reservoir that covers an area of approximately 3,700 acres (7.3 square km). These bridge crossing include motorized vehicle crossings, railroads, and several pedestrian/bicycle trail crossings. After that, state and federal regulators will decide whether the company can move forward with its plans. Current conditions of DISCHARGE, DISSOLVED OXYGEN, GAGE HEIGHT, and MORE are available. While most wading anglers concentrate their time between Newaygo and Croton Dam, boats will motor all the way downstream. Paris Park was Michigan's second fish-rearing facility when it opened in 1881. Just 35 miles north of Grand Rapids is a true getaway in Newaygo, MI: the Muskegon River. Muskegon Lake is a 1,679 hectare drowned river mouth that was created historically by fluctuating Lake Michigan water levels and the closing of a channel by wind induced erosion of sand dunes. Northern pike inhabit the entire system and are fished during the months of May through September. 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]. Dams. With 1,087 residents in the entire township surrounding the Alcona Dam Pond, McCormick said, I dont know who around here would have that kind of resources.. (Bay City Times/ Wes Stafford), Caption: The corner of Forest St. and Franklin St. in Bridgeport as seen from a rowboat. Any season of the year, this location boasts a plethora of fun activities to enjoy. Open all year. Lamb; rehabilitated 2000. The average annual discharge of Muskegon River at Croton Dam is 51.9 m/s. Its not like this is an existential threat to them., Faulkner, with the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, sees both sides of the argument. This provides enough electricity to serve a community of nearly 23,000. WRSX 91.3 Port Huron is off the air due to network issues. Starting at $120 Starting at $40 Starting at $80 We have a drift boat for all your river fishing needs. Consumers is an immensely profitable company, Soodek said. The Great Flood of 1986 resulted in $500 million of damage throughout Michigan's central lower Peninsula. Originating in Higgins and Houghton Lakes, the Muskegon River flows 219 miles to its confluence with Muskegon Lake. GNSS2 - Level 2 Quality Survey Grade Global Navigation Satellite System. (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. However, the deepest point on the river is located at the Muskegon River At Evart reporting a gauge stage of 7.69 ft. If the dam goes away, Faulkner said, Im in the same boat with everybody else.. The Muskegon River below Croton Dam is a fantastic year-round fishery popular with jet boats, drift boats, and wading anglers. Appliance Service Plan does not affect your regulated utility service. Fishing spots and depth contours layers are available in most Lake maps. (MLive file photo), Croton Dam operates its floodgates at full capacity downstream on the Muskegon River from the endangered Hardy Dam, Sept. 12, 1986. Consumers plans to announce its preferred solution for each of the 13 dams next year. Where are the people that actually live here, where is this community going to survive?. (1) USGS River gaging station on the Muskegon River near Croton. A community-based, volunteer partnership organization. Like many of its neighboring streams, the Muskegon was one of the favored logging rivers during the boom years of the 1880s-1890s, and a keen eye can still pick out remnants of stray logs embedded on the river bottom, left over from the spring logging runs. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Rising water from the Cass River rose to over eight feet above flood level in Vassar, Sept., 1986. Five Channels Hydro has a capacity of 6,000 kilowatts. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Caption: "The Brookside Tastee Freeze fell into Mitchell Creek in Big Rapids. The concrete Childsdale Dam south of Rockford collapsed at 2:15 a.m. Sept. 12, 1986, sending floodwaters down the Rogue River toward the village of Belmont. 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 Cabin is located on 20 wooded acres with 550' of direct access river frontage. From the Office of the Director (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. Federal regulators consider Consumers' dams to be in satisfactory condition, with none of the alarming deficiencies that plagued the Midland dams. The river has several major branches, such as the Hersey River, Cedar Creek and Little Muskegon River. Native American heritage to it for fishing and hunting, "Down the Drain: The Incredible Shrinking Great Lakes", "The First Logging Railroads in the Great Lakes Region", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Muskegon_River&oldid=1139017932, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In recent years, the river has gained a certain measure of fame as a recreational fishery, boasting large migratory, People have also taken a liking to paddling down the river. There are three man-made reservoirs on the Muskegon River, the Rogers Dam Pond, Hardy Dam Pond, and the Croton Dam Pond. 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. your browser. Behind Korb, water spills through the hole cut in the Hart dam to relieve pressure on the damn. E-MAIL: [email protected]. Big Rapids, MI 49307-2280, Phone: 231-591-2334 (The Grand Rapids Press/ Lance Wynn), Al Dewitt paddles as Steve Clark starts the boat engine. (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. While most wading anglers concentrate their time between Newaygo and Croton Dam, boats will motor all the way downstream. To learn how were planning for the future, and see the presentations from each meeting, click the button. 584 were here. Muskegon River (/mskin/ ms-KEE-gn) is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The flooding caused 6 deaths, injured 89, contributed to the failure of 14 dams, and damage to about 30,000 homes from Muskegon to Bay City. click here. 160 Acre Parcel Located at 17 Mile & Hwy 66 in Barryton, MI. We're sorry for any inconvenience and ask that you try again later today. Permits can be obtained for whitetail deer hunting and waterfowl hunting. Download the Get Closer to Nature brochure for recreational activities at the hydro dams. Alcona Hydro has a capacity of 8,000 kilowatts. In 1900, the company began work on two major projects, the reconstruction of the Newaygo Dam and the construction of the Newaygo Powerhouse to provide water powered energy for the plant. Discover this 3.6-mile out-and-back trail near White Cloud, Michigan. And she fears removing the dam could release PCB-contaminated sediments from the reservoir, creating new environmental consequences. 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. Prisoners from the Tuscola county jail were assisting with the filling of sandbags. In Michigan, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly is working to solve that problem. Newaygo, MI. Contact Us. It was built in 1907 under the direction of William D. Fargo by the Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company, a predecessor of Consumers Energy. Cool water resident fish: There is a very strong population of resident brown and rainbow trout. We're happy to have the opportunity to guide and fish the Muskegon River, located in Western Michigan, near Grand Rapids. Without them, McCormick said, communities surrounding the dams would wither. ", Jo Ann Fischer looks out at her house that is half-submerged in water, as White Creek swells with water in White Cloud, Sept. 11, 1986. Consumers is considering one of four options for each dam: Relicense and continue generating power; sell to a new owner who would maintain the impoundment; remove the dam and restore a free-flowing river; or build a new barrier that generates no power, but preserves a reservoir. 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. This factor attracts, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 23:07. Scott Looman Leave your worries behind and soak up the sun on a river rafting trip. [8] The smaller Reedsburg Dam is near the source of the Muskegon River. Guilford: Falcon Publishing, 2001. The river corridor features steep banks and unique scenery. This is truly a unique family getaway! Consumers, one of Michigan's largest electric utilities, began a lengthy process this autumn to consider the future of its 13 hydropower dams that plug five Michigan rivers: The Au Sable, Manistee, Muskegon, Grand and Kalamazoo. The restoration to normal operating water levels will be by May 26, 2023 (Friday prior to Memorial Day weekend). New regulations ended the practice of peaking, or filling and then rapidly draining reservoirs to maximize power output during times of high demand. It serves between 2,000 and 3,000 residential homes. River is bankfull. The energy from the powerhouse was used by Portland Cement Company until the mid 1920s when the company switched to steam power and sold the dam to Consumers Power Company Consumers Energy as we know it today. Originating in Higgins and Houghton Lakes, the Muskegon River flows 219 miles to its confluence with Muskegon Lake. c/o Ferris State University (Saginaw News file photo), Drivers ford high water in Saginaw about 6:30 a.m. Sept. 12, 1986. Of reservoirs interrupted natural rhythms that guide many River species reproduction and growth cycles activity on Energy... Activities at the Hydro dams such as the Hersey River, Cedar Creek Little... Payment if needed Clare County, Mecosta County, a conditions of DISCHARGE, DISSOLVED OXYGEN GAGE! 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