Another productive season of in-stream habitat improvement was had during 2007.  The Huron Pines’ Restoration Crew spent the summer installing Large Woody Debris (LWD) to the Au Sable River system to replenish in-stream habitat.  As is well known, LWD was once abundant in the streams of Northern Michigan.  During the logging era, the majority of LWD was seen as an obstacle to the transport of logs downstream.  Huron Pines, with the guidance of resource professionals, continues the efforts to add in-stream habitat in the form of LWD to help the Au Sable River rebound to its more natural state.

(Right: Crew prepares to maintain LWD structures to balance habitat and navigation needs before the Au Sable River Canoe Marathon.)

2007 Report:

The majority of work this past field season focused on the North Branch in a stretch of water known as the Blue Water Realty site.  In that part of the river, no LWD work had been done until Huron Pines began installing structures during the 2006 field season.  Following last season, the owners of the Blue Water Realty property were enthused with our work and granted permission to continue on that stretch.  This summer we continued to install LWD throughout the 4.2 miles of the North Branch bordered by Blue Water Realty.  The crew worked to both increase the frequency of LWD structures and to supplement those created last year.

LWD was also installed on the Main Stream Au Sable near Conner’s Flats.  The crew spent a couple of weeks utilizing blown-over trees by dragging them to the river and creating LWD structures.  Oftentimes the crew will address individual situations where trees have come down and can be used as LWD where the river is in need of more in-stream habitat.  This was the case at two primary locations where the crew worked on the Main Stream.

Huron Pines spent over 1900 hours working on LWD in the Au Sable system during 2007.  All of that time was spent on the North Branch and Main Stream.  Helicopter placement of whole trees was not completed this year because the aircraft were allocated to wildfires in the Western US and Huron Pines did not have a signed contract from Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).  We anticipate using both the crew and helicopter in 2008.

There were two notable volunteer events this year contributing to the in-stream habitat enhancement.  Returning this year was the River Conservation and Fishing Camp sponsored by the Kalamazoo Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited (above photo).  Working near Guide’s Rest on the Main Stream, 15 kids and 5 chaperones worked to augment several existing structures.  The kids were really intrigued to know how the big structures were created, so everyone gathered around to watch Ken fell one large tree.  The volunteers then filled in behind the tree to complete the structure.  Everyone enjoyed themselves and was happy to learn about the importance of LWD to cold-water fisheries.  Only 4 kids flooded their waders.

The Paul H Young Chapter of Trout Unlimited also participated in the habitat enhancement (below right).  In early October, the group of 14 volunteers utilized tops of red pine that were left after a recent thinning harvest on the North Branch to create more in-stream habitat.  The tops made perfectly-sized material for habitat work on that narrow stretch of the North Branch.

This year’s crew was comprised of the same employees as last year and again led by Ken Reed.  This is the 30th year Ken has been completing habitat work on the cold-water streams of Northeast Michigan.  It is not only nice to see retention of crew members, but it allows the projects to flow more smoothly and efficiently.  Many of the project types that the crew was working on this year were similar to those completed last year.  This provides an atmosphere where the crew can increase their role in decision making and project planning.

Challenges:

The biggest challenge this year was that the in-stream habitat work had to make do without funding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Habitat Improvement Account.  Lacking that funding posed a serious threat to Large Woody Debris projects on the Au Sable River Watershed.  Seeing the importance of continuing the LWD program, Huron Pines opted to continue the work for the 2007 field season, in lieu of having secured funding.   Unless significant funding for LWD can be raised in advance of the 2008 field season, Huron Pines will no longer be able to employ a restoration crew for the installation of in-stream habitat on the Au Sable River.

Financial Breakdown for 2007:

Additional Restoration Projects in 2007:

Throughout the summer there were a number of small erosion sites addressed by the Restoration Crew.  All of these sites were downstream of Mio dam on the mainstream Au Sable.  Four sites were restored and all were caused by improper human access to the river.  From small trails to illegal campsites to carrying and sliding down the bank in canoes, uncontrolled human access can contribute great amounts of sediment to the system.

The three smaller sites, known as the “Loud rest” sites, are located on USFS lands.  The funding for restoration of these sites originated from the Federal Energy Relicensing Commission for the dams on the Au Sable owned by Consumer’s Energy.  (Energy companies are required to provide funds to offset and restore damages to the fishery associated with their hydroelectric dams.)

Erosion at the Loud rest sites relates directly to the large volume of canoe traffic.  Sites Loud rest #1 and 3 (known as the “old stairs”) have become dilapidated over time by canoeists stopping to rest and beaching their canoes.  As the structures were compromised (above photo), they were no longer able to prevent sediment from entering the river.  The Restoration Crew rebuilt the structures and installed new geotextile erosion fabric (right).  Trails that developed as users walked around the structures were also blocked off and restored.

Loud rest #2 was a user developed trail from the river to an illegal campsite.  This created a low point on the streambank that then funneled stormwater runoff, causing a gully to form.  To restore this site, the crew placed coconut fiber logs at the water’s edge and backfilled topsoil.  Seed and erosion fabric were placed on top of the topsoil to reestablish plant life.  Finally the trail was blocked both from the land and river side with the use of brush and large woody debris.

The final erosion site restored this summer was the site known as Claybanks.  This site originated as a location where canoeists and tubers stopped to rest and play in the deep water.  Part of that recreation became sliding down the clay bank in their tubes and canoes.  This has caused significant erosion and destabilized the site to the point it could not recover with out proper measures.  In 2006 twenty-five whole trees were placed by helicopter to deter further human traffic, slow water velocities at the toe, and provide essential fish habitat.  During the 2007 field season, the Restoration Crew, USFS employees, and several volunteers worked to stabilize the bank by placing 60 coconut fiber logs, and 10 cubic yards of field stone riprap.  The final measures will be taken in 2008 when the crew returns to install native plants and seed with the goal of reestablishing vegetation to increase soil stability.

To support stream restoration efforts in the Au Sable River Watershed, interested parties can earmark their contribution to the Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee or to the Huron Pines Aquatic Restoration Program.

For more information on the Au Sable River Restoration, please contact:

Patrick Ertel, Project Manager 
Huron Pines
(989) 344-0753 ext. 19
patrick@huronpines.org