The North Branch Au Sable River Watershed drains over 390 square miles (250,625 acres) of land through a network of nearly 130 miles of stream in the heart of Northern Michigan.
The North Branch flows southward towards the Au Sable Main Stream and joins it approximately 4 miles downstream of where the South Branch enters the Main Stream. Originating as the outlet of Otsego Lake, the North Branch flows through several smaller lakes and wetlands in its upper reaches contributing to warmer temperatures, leading to warm and cool water aquatic communities.
The North Branch watershed, similar to many cold-water streams in northern Michigan, is threatened by numerous natural and human-caused impacts. For example, as identified in the watershed management plan for the Au Sable River completed in 2001, sediment, specifically non-point source sediment, is the number one threat to the North Branch watershed.
In addition to the effects of sediment, many streams in northern Michigan are also threatened by the presence and rapid spread of invasive species. The North Branch, though having been the recipient of many years of work and dollars spent on habitat, still suffers from low amounts of in-stream habitat diversity, particularly that associated with large woody debris (LWD).
View the 2008 LWD Placement Map.
To address these issues and protect this valuable natural resource, a number of partners have developed a Watershed Assesement for the North Branch Au Sable.
Learn more about Watershed Management Plans
We would like to thank the North Branch Au Sable Area Association for their help in funding the Watershed Management Summary.
For more information, please contact Patrick Ertel. |
