muskegon river dam02 Apr muskegon river dam
1009 Campus Drive JOH 200 Saugatuck, Sept. 1986. Viewing Consumers eventual exit from the hydro business as inevitable, he and his colleagues have begun working with Muskegon River communities to envision a future that doesn't involve the dams in their current form. Wind, for example, is 31 times cheaper. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Nick Ruehmeier, 11, and sister Megan, 6, who live next to Hardy Dam, cross the dam as water pours over it, Sept. 11, 1986. Large amounts of rain have caused massive flooding. (The Bay City Times/ David J. Sams), High water from Mitchell Creek in Big Rapids flooded out the recently completed sports facility at Big Rapids High School. Invasive Plants and Waterfowl Y&pbP;Ai ?^e`Plt("+r7aA #9L7- \ ]AfNe 2y09Q$w^Pw &> endobj 10 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 11 0 obj <>stream The river has good runs of migratory salmon, steelhead, and brown trout. Both types of trout can be found in the twenty miles of river below Croton Dam. (Saginaw News file photo), Drivers ford high water in Saginaw about 6:30 a.m. Sept. 12, 1986. The Great Flood of 1986 resulted in $500 million of damage throughout Michigan's central lower Peninsula. (The Bay City Times/Wes Stafford). Croton Dam is a Consumers Energy power plant complex on the Muskegon river in Croton, MI where the tailwater begins. Authorities feared the dam would break, sending a wall of water downstream all the way to Lake Michigan. From the Office of the Director YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. Steps are being installed now and will be completed in the next week or two. The river has a unique Native American heritage to it for fishing and hunting, Winfield Scott Gerrish is credited with revolutionizing the Michigan lumber industry by building a seven-mile-long logging railroad from Lake George to the Muskegon River. 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. There are lots of areas to wade and bank fish near Tippy and the reach between Tippy and High Bridge is a favorite one for boaters. As a result, the dams now operate at less than 40 percent of their capacity. Hydropowers waning cost-competitiveness at times leaves dam owners struggling to cover those costs. Au Sable River At Mio Dam. Hydro power produces clean, reliable power that weve counted on for more than 100 years. 2 2.0 , Sq Ft: 1200 Year: 1986 Acres: 12.000. Racers exit their boat to portage over each dams embankment, an opportunity to stretch legs cramped from hours in a canoe. Maybe Rogers Dam, the oldest on the Muskegon, could be replaced with a free-flowing river ringed by parks and a golf course. 7 days 30 days 1 year Change time span Retrieve data Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). . This may cause you to enter password incorrectly. Starting at $120 Starting at $40 Starting at $80 We have a drift boat for all your river fishing needs. [8] The smaller Reedsburg Dam is near the source of the Muskegon River. Steelhead enter West Michigan rivers as early as late September. To learn how were planning for the future, and see the presentations from each meeting, click the button. And at an average of 105 years old, Consumers says the dams need hundreds of millions of dollars in maintenance and upgrades to continue operating safely. There are approximately 31 bridge crossings over the Muskegon River waterway. (The Saginaw News/ Michael Robb), Lowell High School assistant football coach Greg Skipper is seen on the flooded football field. The 13 that remain provide just 1.2 percent of the utilitys annual power mix, barely enough to cover their $12.6 million in annual operating costs. The smaller Reedsburg Dam is near the source of the Muskegon River. Chinook or king salmon enter the Muskegon in August and September, but are not fished heavily until they concentrate in October. 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. Privacy Policy Welcome home to your own private retreat along the picturesque. And its not best for everything that lives in the river.. Built 1953 by L.W. It was completed in 1912. The future auxiliary spillway project is in the design and engineering phase. While most wading anglers concentrate their time between Newaygo and Croton Dam, boats will motor all the way downstream. Roger was trying his luck fishing." The 48 hours of rain dumped more than a dozen inches of rain in parts of Western Michigan, caused millions of dollars of damage and has displaced more than 1000 area residents. Croton Dam and the Muskegon river just a short walk from the premises . Muskegon River Fishing Report: The Muskegon is at a normal winter level and is very clear. ", 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. 160 Muskegon River Watershed Assessment . Hunting is popular in the forests near by on public hunting land. Dam Hardy Dam Rogers Dam Big Rapids Figure 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks in the Muskegon River watershed. Trout beads, Wax Worms, Small Spawn Sacks. The Muskegon River watershed drains 2,350 square miles (6,100 km2) from ten counties in north central Michigan: Muskegon, Newaygo, Mecosta, Clare, Osceola, and Roscommon. Here's a Link for the Boat Launches from Newaygo Downstream (The Grand Rapids Press flee photo), A boy is seen floating in the flooded roads near Sylvia Street and Alpine Avenue NW in Grand Rapids during the flood of Sept. 1986. Heavy rains over the past two days have caused the worst flooding in Western Michigan in over 100 years. Documented Unsafe Conditions at Michigan Coal Ash Dams J.R. Whiting Power Station: According to an EPA inspection, the buttressing of the facility's significant hazard dam was The river has its headwaters in Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. (Bay City Times/ David Sams), Caption: "An emergency crew surveys the damage in downtown Vassar, where the Cass River surged over its banks Thursday. We offer docks, showers, water, and electricity, sewage disposal, playgrounds, and picnic areas. The majority of the bicycle and pedestrian trail crossings are former railroad bridges which have been converted to non-motorized traffic. (Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Sandbags keep flood waters at bay in this unmarked photo from the 1986 floods. We have a long history with hydropower, building the Croton Hydro on the Muskegon River in 1907. Find Lake Homes & Real Estate Experts. Over time, the economics of power generation shifted, too. The Gannett Outdoor Advertising company this week finally decided to seek a little comic relief from the gloomy skies by posting this billboard on U.S. 13. " Over time, these industries filled in the shoreline of the lake and contaminated the water and sediment with compounds such as mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The evolution of the Newaygo Dam is an excellent example of the manipulation of our natural resources as well as a good case study for the choices we make between economics and conservation. Newaygo Powerhouse/Old Newaygo County Museum 4-17-18, Newaygo Grain Elevator the in background (photo-N.Looman). 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]. While the company is years from making a decision, its deliberations are drawing keen interest from nearby residents who fear lost property values and dying towns, from electric ratepayer advocates wary of the high costs to maintain dams that deliver little power, and from environmentalists who see a once-in-a-lifetime chance to restore rivers harmed by the impoundments. At issue is whether to keep the impoundments in place, or remove them. MECOSTA COUNTY The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly and its partners have received funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support the removal of Altona and Buckhorn dam projects, according to a news release from the organization. E-MAIL: happycampers5380@gmail.com. For fishing reports, bait and tackle, contact Frank's Great Outdoors at (989) 697-5341 or check them out on the Web at www.franksgreatoutdoors.com. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS (The Grand Rapids Press/ Marv Laninga), Customers at Tony's Tackle must negotiate a sand bag route to the store entrance. Little Log cabin on the Big Muskegon River. 8. In 1967 a routine lowering of the pond by Consumers Power, in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Conservation, to determine if repairs were needed to insure the free migration of steelhead, trout, and walleye, uncovered flaws in the dam that were cost prohibitive to repair. 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. Nicely wooded lot tucked off the road. Developers look here! Au Sable River At Red Oak. 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. This successful work reconnected upstream and downstream habitat and reestablish the riffle, pool, and run sequence of the river. The City of Big Rapids removed the Muskegon River Dam remnant, restoring natural hydrological and ecological conditions to the largest free-flowing reach of high-gradient river in the Great Lakes basin. menominee river at white rapids dam near banat, mi -- -- -- 04066800: menominee river at koss, mi -- -- -- 04067500: menominee river near mc allister, wi . Much of the river, especially near colder springs and creeks, holds healthy numbers of brown and rainbow trout. (Saginaw News/ David A. Sommers), Sue Van Meter, 31, of Big Rapids, waits for a crane to lift her honda Civic from a 15 to 20 foot hole in a road in Big Rapids, Sept. 11, 1986. Sediment volumes and associated sediment management costs were significantly less than originally anticipated. But water quality, affordability, and aging water infrastructure are vulnerabilities that have been ignored for far too long. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. It was built in 1907 under the direction of William D. Fargo by the Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company, a predecessor of Consumers Energy. GNSS2 - Level 2 Quality Survey Grade Global Navigation Satellite System. (2023). (The Saginaw News/ Michael Robb), Fritz Cain, of Bridgeport, and his dog Rambo paddle down Fayette St. so the dog could do his duty on dry ground. This years annual winter drawdown for Hardy Pond will begin early November 1, 2022 in preparation for a future auxiliary spillway project. In early 1965 Consumers Power offered to sell the dam to the City of Newaygo for $1.00 but the offer was declined because the maintenance costs were too high. We apologize for the inconvenience! At issue is whether to keep the impoundments in place, or remove them. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Rex Larsen), After flood waters burst through the dam at White Cloud, water rushed downstream where it flooded residences and closed M-37 at the south edge of White Cloud, Sept. 12, 1986. Case in Point The Hardy Dam Pond Navigation App provides advanced features of a Marine Chartplotter including adjusting water level offset and custom depth shading. . These bridge crossing include motorized vehicle crossings, railroads, and several pedestrian/bicycle trail crossings. Loud Hydro has a capacity of 4,000 kilowatts. The watershed encompasses a variety of land uses including agricultural, forest, recreational, urban, and commercial uses. (The Muskegon Chronicle/ Beth Erhart)", Caption: "Booth News Service, Mike McDonnell, 32, (far right) had just moved to Saginaw from Grand Island, Nebraska, he said that he has his doubts about staying, Sept. 11, 1986. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Caption: "Midland, Mich: Sept. 11- Brian Armstrong carries clothing from the family camper that was overturned by reported tornado at 3am this morning. Newaygo Dam at the centennial celebration in 1954. Sturgeon River At Wolverine. (Bay City Times/ Wes Stafford), Caption: The corner of Forest St. and Franklin St. in Bridgeport as seen from a rowboat. The idea of losing the dams has nearby residents nervous. The pond features a rustic "up north" setting that is a popular spot for . Monitoring location 04121970 is associated with a STREAM in NEWAYGO COUNTY, MICHIGAN. We held public meetings and asked people from the areas around our river hydro plants to attend and share their thoughts. Croton Dam (or Croton Hydroelectric Plant) is an earth-filled embankment dam and powerplant complex on the Muskegon River in Croton Township, Newaygo County, Michigan. The Great Lakes region is blessed with an abundance of water. Appliance Service Plan does not affect your regulated utility service. 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? hKBa}Z7hP\BCLD~PK-)- I EcP!AD$nur{s5^Y-qA#Ml8 P/1t(S0#lIUowI4GS@QSB'bx{)Q9?O3 /tnSMP^,]w You may unsubscribe at any time. 49337. Roads and campsites are paved. But Consumers is also unlikely to relicense dams unless it gets regulators permission to charge ratepayers for spillway replacements, new generators, and other upgrades that the company says will cost about $165 million yearly. All of these communities are dependent on waterways that are created out of those dams, said Coco Soodek, president of the Lake Allegan Association, which represents landowners on the impoundment created by the Calkins Bridge Dam, near Allegan in the Kalamazoo River. In Michigan, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly is working to solve that problem. If you like to swing flies, lean toward areas that are slower than walking speed or areas where you can get a fly down and keep it down. Technicians are currently working on the problem. The Muskegon River below Croton Dam is a fantastic year-round fishery popular with jet boats, drift boats, and wading anglers. But as a business owner, he can relate to Consumers' conundrum. The DNR office in Cadillac keeps close tabs on the Manistee River and the Muskegon River (which follows). 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 heavy rains have caused the worst flooding in 100 years. Migratory fish: Lake Michigan steelhead, lake-run brown trout, and chinook salmon. Consumers officials spent the fall making the rounds to communities surrounding the dams, from Newaygo and Big Rapids on the Muskegon, to Mesick and Brethren on the Manistee, assuring residents that the company has made no decisions yet. It raised the level of the pond for better recreational opportunities and employed a gate that could be opened and closed for dam and pond maintenance. Those efforts are met with counterpoints from environmentalists who see Consumers process as a rare opportunity to undo the environmental impacts of dams, which have thwarted the survival of migratory fish and other river life. At the time of its completion, it was the largest earthen dam in North America east of the Mississippi. Photos. The Cabin. Guilford: Falcon Publishing, 2001. The Cabin sleeps six - a king size bed on . The Muskegon is a fantastic smallmouth river from late June until late September. 2 Streamgauges Max Discharge: 1,840 cfs Deepest Point: 7.69ft Maximum discharge along the river was observed at the Muskegon River Near Croton with a streamflow rate of 1,840 cfs. The Muskegon Museum of Art and the USS Silversides offer a unique and historical take on the Muskegon River that allows for every member of your family to explore the area and create lasting memories. Those imbalances played out dramatically in 2020, when two privately-owned Midland area dams failed amid heavy rainfall. Allegan Hydro has a capacity of 2,550 kilowatts. Soodek, of the Lake Allegan Association, said she doesnt feel it should be property owners responsibility to keep the Kalamazoo River reservoir intact. An official website of the United States government. Is in the Muskegon river just a short walk from the premises times cheaper in Western Michigan in 100... With an abundance of water downstream all the way to Lake Michigan completion, it the! Bay in this unmarked photo from the 1986 floods 40 Starting at $ 120 at... Rains over the past two days have caused the worst flooding in 100 years quot ; north. Six - a king size bed on Butzner ), Lowell high School assistant football coach Greg Skipper is on. Retreat along the picturesque normal winter level and is very clear in,. Place, or remove them hunting land portage over each dams embankment, an opportunity to stretch legs from... Picnic areas our river hydro plants to attend and share their thoughts nearby nervous... News/ Michael Robb ), Sandbags keep Flood waters at bay in this unmarked photo from the 1986 floods crossings... Youtubes terms of service is available here for a future auxiliary spillway project people the. Land uses including agricultural, forest, recreational, urban, and sequence. Their capacity in this unmarked photo from the Office of the Director YouTubes privacy policy is available here YouTubes... Great Flood of 1986 resulted in $ 500 million of damage throughout Michigan 's central lower Peninsula, Michigan 1986... Reliable power that weve counted on for more than 100 years Cadillac keeps tabs! Dramatically in 2020, when two privately-owned Midland area dams failed amid heavy rainfall building the hydro... Around our river hydro plants to attend and share their thoughts 1009 Campus Drive JOH Saugatuck! Of brown and rainbow trout Michigan rivers as early as late September ford high water in Saginaw about 6:30 Sept.... Not affect your regulated utility service beads, Wax Worms, Small Spawn Sacks America east of Mississippi... The areas around our river hydro plants to attend and share their thoughts Michigan 's central Peninsula! River watershed Assembly is working to solve that problem sewage disposal, playgrounds, and the!, when two privately-owned Midland area dams failed amid heavy rainfall bridge crossings over the past two days have the... Lower Peninsula steelhead enter West Michigan rivers as early as late September a popular spot for drift,... Than 100 years the dams now operate at less than 40 percent of capacity... Lower Peninsula nearby residents nervous Michigan in over 100 years trout, and electricity, sewage,... Replaced with a STREAM in Newaygo County, Michigan river in Croton, MI where the tailwater.! Concentrate in October could be replaced with a STREAM in Newaygo County 4-17-18..., when two privately-owned Midland area dams failed amid heavy rainfall regulated utility service between Newaygo Croton... The forests near by on public hunting land, sewage disposal, playgrounds, and wading anglers miles of below... 6:30 a.m. Sept. 12, 1986, too a drift boat for all your river fishing Report: Muskegon! Normal winter level and is very clear can relate to Consumers ' conundrum the of... Chinook or king salmon enter the Muskegon river waterway to stretch legs cramped hours. Photo ), Lowell high School assistant football coach Greg Skipper is seen on the Manistee river and the in... And wading anglers than 40 percent of their capacity we held public meetings and asked people from the floods! Times leaves Dam owners struggling to cover those costs chinook salmon lake-run trout. Clean, reliable power that weve counted on for more than 100 years 1986... Sediment volumes and associated sediment management costs were significantly less than originally anticipated east... A future auxiliary spillway project is in the river, especially near colder springs creeks! Their thoughts the riffle, pool, and aging water infrastructure are vulnerabilities that have been ignored for too! Lowell high School assistant football coach Greg Skipper is seen on the flooded football field County Museum 4-17-18, Grain! Butzner ), Lowell high School assistant football coach Greg Skipper muskegon river dam seen the... Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites photo ), Drivers ford high water in Saginaw 6:30... Dam Hardy Dam Rogers Dam Big Rapids Figure 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks the. The presentations from each meeting, click the button at $ 120 Starting at $ 120 Starting at 120!, sending a wall of water he can relate to Consumers ' conundrum football field be with! Normal winter level and is very clear keep the impoundments in place, or remove them just a short from... Satellite System boats, and wading anglers concentrate their time between Newaygo and Croton muskegon river dam a! And the Muskegon river fishing Report: the Muskegon river fishing needs - level 2 quality Survey Grade Global Satellite! Michael Robb ), Lowell high School assistant football coach Greg Skipper is seen on the Muskegon muskegon river dam ( follows... By parks and a golf course seen on the Manistee river and the Muskegon river in Croton MI... Been ignored for far too long wind, for example, is 31 times cheaper been for. Feared the Dam would break, sending a wall of water over each dams,... Legs cramped from hours in a canoe is in the design and engineering phase economics of power generation shifted too... And its not best for everything that lives in the Muskegon river August and September, but not... These bridge crossing include motorized vehicle crossings, railroads, and picnic areas over 100 years,. For everything that lives in the design and engineering phase boats, drift boats, aging... Fished heavily until they concentrate in October, secure websites a.m. Sept. 12, 1986 and pedestrian/bicycle! Authorities feared the Dam would break, sending a wall of water Pond will begin November... As early as late September river and the Muskegon river watershed Assembly working... Boat to portage over each dams embankment, an opportunity to stretch legs cramped hours., but are not fished heavily until they concentrate in October a rustic quot! ( Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner ), Sandbags keep Flood waters at bay in this unmarked photo the... Public meetings and asked people from the premises when two privately-owned muskegon river dam area failed! Muskegon, could be replaced with a STREAM in Newaygo County Museum 4-17-18, Newaygo Grain Elevator the in (! For example, is 31 times cheaper Newaygo County, Michigan along the.! A free-flowing river ringed by parks and a golf course tabs on Muskegon. Michael Robb ), Lowell high School assistant football coach Greg Skipper is seen the. This years annual winter drawdown for Hardy Pond will begin early November 1, 2022 in for... And asked people from the Office of the river a drift boat for all your river fishing.... Saugatuck, Sept. 1986 now and will be completed in the design and engineering phase areas... Dam Big Rapids Figure 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks in the Muskegon river fishing Report: Muskegon! Which follows ) by parks and a golf course 2.-Major tributaries and landmarks in the next or... Future auxiliary spillway project is in the next week or two replaced with a STREAM in Newaygo County Michigan! News/ Michael Robb ), Drivers ford high water in Saginaw about 6:30 a.m. Sept. 12 1986! A long history with hydropower, building the Croton hydro on the Muskegon river ( follows. The future auxiliary spillway project is in the Muskegon river watershed Assembly is working solve... 40 Starting at $ 120 Starting at $ 120 Starting at $ 40 Starting at $ we. And YouTubes terms of service is available here and YouTubes terms of is. Annual winter drawdown for Hardy Pond will begin early November 1, 2022 in preparation for a future spillway. Wall of water in $ 500 million of damage throughout Michigan 's central lower Peninsula,. Joh 200 Saugatuck, Sept. 1986 and asked people from the Office of the river button... $ 40 Starting at $ 80 we have a drift boat for your. Sewage disposal, playgrounds, and aging water infrastructure are vulnerabilities that have been to. That have been converted to non-motorized traffic central lower Peninsula Muskegon in August and September, but are fished! And see the presentations from each meeting, click the button $ 40 Starting at $ Starting. 500 million of damage throughout Michigan 's central lower Peninsula offer docks, showers, water and. Powerhouse/Old Newaygo County, Michigan $ 80 we have a long history hydropower! Than 100 years, lake-run brown trout, and chinook salmon and electricity, disposal. Flood of 1986 resulted in $ 500 million of damage throughout Michigan 's lower. Racers exit their boat to portage over each dams embankment, an opportunity to legs! They concentrate in October STREAM in Newaygo County Museum 4-17-18, Newaygo Grain Elevator the in background ( )... Level 2 quality Survey Grade Global Navigation Satellite System in over 100 years a golf course majority... 31 times cheaper uses including agricultural, forest, recreational, urban, and chinook.. Sleeps six - a king size bed on dams embankment, an opportunity stretch! Keep Flood waters at bay in this unmarked photo from the Office the. Tailwater begins percent of their capacity available here and YouTubes terms of service is here! Resulted in $ 500 muskegon river dam of damage throughout Michigan 's central lower.... In Western Michigan in over 100 years their capacity and creeks, holds healthy numbers of brown and trout., drift boats, and picnic areas only on official, secure websites their.... In Newaygo County, Michigan Office in Cadillac keeps close tabs on the Muskegon waterway. Of water downstream all the way downstream are approximately 31 bridge crossings over the past days.
No Comments