Reconnecting Our Waterways

Northern Michigan is home to some of the most pristine rivers in the country. Keeping them healthy is a critical priority of our work at Huron Pines. Here is an overview of how that work gets accomplished.

A majority of rivers in Northeast Michigan are high-quality coldwater systems. Many of these waters are designated trout streams and are a big recreation draw to the region. However, these streams face threats and perhaps chief among them is habitat fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation occurs when a large expanse of habitat is transformed into a number of smaller patches isolated from each other. Well-connected rivers are critical for fish and other stream-dwelling animals that require access to different types of habitat. For example, adult brook trout may feed in larger river segments while also needing seasonal access to upper portions of smaller tributary streams to successfully reproduce.

Undersized road culverts and obsolete dams across the region impair the flow of water, which can lead to erosion, catastrophic road washouts, floodwaters overtopping roadways, and log jams forming at the inlets of such culverts. Dams and poorly designed road/stream crossing structures typically block fish passage, cutting off access to upstream habitats for aquatic organisms.

Within our 4.5 million-acre service area, Huron Pines has inventoried all of the road/stream crossings over the past decade and has used this data to prioritize areas in need of attention based on concerns such as stream health and failing infrastructure.

Since 2007, Huron Pines has restored 116 problematic river crossings and removed 6 dams, reconnecting hundreds of miles of upstream habitat. This work has restored water quality and health of aquatic communities, provided enhanced recreation opportunities for people, and has greatly improved road infrastructure and safety while bringing millions of dollars of funding to this region. In turn, this supports jobs for engineers, construction workers, material suppliers, and those working in the sectors of conservation, outdoor recreation and tourism.

River segments upstream from former fish passage barriers are highlighted to the extent of aquatic habitat reconnected through our projects.

 ^{The steps we take to ensure limited restoration funding produces maximum ecological and human community benefits.} 

With the help of our community and partners, we are able to restore and enhance our waterways in Northeast Michigan, which are so vital to the wildlife who depend on them and the people who enjoy them. The support and partnership of many county road commissions, resource agencies, other nonprofit organizations and individuals make this work possible.  In the initial stage, these projects hinge on the authorization of the landowners (road commissions, federal or state agencies, or private) to proceed with any work. Special thanks to our county road commissions and other landowners that pledge in-kind or cash contributions to these projects from the onset.

Huron Pines leverages these critical investments to secure additional project support through various grant programs, which often require their funds to be matched with other contributions. Once project funding is secured we work with engineering firms, construction contractors and materials suppliers to implement the work in accordance with approved permits and current best practices. We also partner with news outlets, school districts, other nonprofits and others to share stories about our work and to complete project monitoring activities. The partners listed below have contributed substantially to our river connectivity work, specifically. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all of the partners and funders that work with and support Huron Pines.

 ^{Alcona County Road Commission; Alpena County Road Commission; Americana Foundation; Ann Arbor Chapter of Trout Unlimited; Arenac County Road Commission; Au Sable North Branch Area Association; Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee; Barr Engineering Company; Bay Area Community Foundation; Leon P Martuch Chapter of Trout Unlimited; Charlevoix County Community Foundation; Cheboygan County Road Commission; Chippewa County Road Commission; Conservation Resource Alliance; Crawford County Road Commission; FishAmerica Foundation; Freshwater Future; Golden Lotus, Inc.; Great Lakes Energy; Great Lakes Fishery Trust; Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; Haynes Township (Alcona County); Higgins Lake Foundation; Higgins Lake Land Conservancy; Higgins Lake Property Owners Association; Huron Engineering & Surveying, Inc.; Iosco County Road Commission; J.A. Woollam Foundation; J.E. Tiffany and Sons, LLC; J&N Construction, Inc.; John Henry Excavating, Inc.; Jordan Intercoastal, LLC; Knoop Excavating, Inc.; KPM Engineering, PLLC; Krenn Timber Bridges; MacArthur Construction, Inc.; Mershon-Neumann Heritage Chapter of Trout Unlimited; Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget - Military and Veterans Affairs - Camp Grayling; Michigan Fly Fishing Club; Montmorency County Road Commission; Morley Foundation; Mullet Lake Area Preservation Society; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Northwest Design Group; Ogemaw County Road Commission; Oscoda County Road Commission; Otsego County Community Foundation; Otsego County Road Commission; Otsego Wildlife Legacy Society; Patagonia; Pigeon River Country Association; Pine River Van-Etten Lake Watershed Coalition; Prein & Newhof; Presque Isle County Road Commission; Rifle River Restoration Committee; Rifle River Restoration Committee; Robiadek & Sons Excavating, LLC; Roscommon County Road Commission; Saginaw Bay WIN; Schlict Excavating, Inc.; Team Elmers; Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council; Trout Unlimited; U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Forest Service; Upper Black River Council; Wade Trim; Walters Family Foundation; Wildwood Drive Property Owners Association; and numerous private landowners and individual donors.}