Bigelow Creek Stream Habitat Improvement Project (1)
2003
The MRWA, Timberland RC&D and the U.S. Forest Service partners to provide funding for habitat improvement on approximately 16,400 feet of Bigelow Creek in Newaygo County. Total project cost is estimated at $85,000. The project will begin in March 2004.
2004
As of September 2004, the private-land portion of the project has been completed and a report has been submitted. The public-land portion of the project was completed in November. Future phases are scheduled for 2005.
2005
Field work continues on phases 3 and 4 with the US Forest Service and Timberland RC&D. Phase 3 was completed during Summer 2005. Phase 4 was not completely finished in December 2005 because of the weather.
This project was completed in 2006.
Bigelow Creek Habitat Improvement and Maintenance (2) Project
2005
With grant funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Fremont Area Community Foundation, along with dollar for dollar match from the Wege Foundation, habitat improvement on Bigelow Creek will continue on public and private lands. This is a continuation project from the above project and began in late summer 2005 and will be completed by December 2006.
2006
Before habitat improvement was completed in the Coolbough Nature Preserve, volunteer Water Monitors Stephen Ross and Linda Sanderson collected macroinvertebrates in May 2006 on Bigelow Creek for baseline data. Collections will be continued each spring and fall to determine the benefits of the habitat improvement in that area.
US forest Service has completed habitat improvements on public lands.
This project was completed in 2007
Clam River Improvement Project
2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007
In May, a $5,000 donation was given to the MRWA by the Hunting Foundation for habitat work on the Clam River. The Wege Foundation matched this amount dollar-for-dollar.
In June 2004, ten temperature probes were planted in different locations from the mouth to the outlet of Clam River. In August, sediment and flow discharge measurements were taken.
In 2004, 2005 and 2006, stream temperature data from the temperature probes were downloaded. The readings will help guide where shoreline and/or stream habitat improvements need to be installed to improve the coldwater fishery.
In 2006, volunteer water monitors involved in the Muskegon River Water Monitoring Project began monitoring several of these sites. Baseline and after-installation information will be recorded to gauge the amount of benefit to the stream that the improvements have.
Partnering with Conservation Resource Alliance, a 1,000 foot section of stream where M-55 crosses the river near Clam River Park in Lake Township, had in-stream habitat improvements installed to enhance cold-water fisheries.
This project was completed in fall 2007.
Higgins Lake Weevil Control of EWM Project
2004 - 2006
In the summer of 2004, Huron Pines RC&D partnered with the MRWA to stock 10,000 eggs and larvae of milfoil weevils into Higgins Lake. The stocking is the latest effort in a treatment approach of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) in Higgins Lake. Three local community foundations provided $10,000 in grant monies with the Wege Foundation matching it with $10,000 more.
In July, the first weevils were introduced. In August, treated areas will be examined. Evidence showed that weevils were reproducing and eating the Eurasian Watermilfoil at two planting locations. Evidence also showed that weevils had also migrated to a nearby control spot where weevils were not stocked.
Huron Pines continues to research ways to control Eurasian Watermilfoil in Higgins Lake and maintains a database of property owners with Eurasian Watermilfoil.
This project was completed in 2006.