ANNOUNCEMENTS

February 10, 2010: Engineering is Underway
Huron Pines will be restoring seven road/stream crossings in Alcona and Iosco counties. Currently, we are working with Wilcox Professional Services in Alpena, MI to complete site surveys and develop the engineered designs. At this time, engineering and permits have been obtained for three of the seven sites (136, 144a & 213f). Construction of these three sites is scheduled for the summer of 2010.  Wilcox has also finished the site surveys and preliminary designs for the remaining four sites scheduled for completion in 2011. Read below for a full project description.

HURON PINES ROAD STREAM/CROSSING (RSX) RESTORATION

What's the big deal?
Road-stream crossings can be a major contributor of large quantities of sediment to northern Michigan rivers. The majority of secondary roads or “backroads” are unpaved or graveled roads. Many of these roads cross small tributaries and feeder streams where large amounts of gravel and sand are deposited into the streams during precipitation events. Right: A RSX in the PRVEL watershed where the existing culvert is misaligned, restricting water flow and hindering fish passage. 

Learn more by reading the Great Lakes Better Backroads Guidebook (revised 2007).

The Big Picture -- Watershed Management Planning
The most cost-effective approach to getting the most important water quality improvement projects completed is to take a system-wide look at all of the land area draining to a water body and inventory all of the problem sites and resource issues. Then, these inventories are used to design Best Management Practices that can improve water quality, develop cost estimates, and rank potential sites to determine the highest priority projects. Huron Pines uses a watershed management approach in an ongoing effort to restore, maintain and enhance water quality by bringing together stakeholders and implement best management practices.

In 2001, Huron Pines was awarded a Section 319 Nonpoint Source Watershed Planning Grant by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to work with the local PRVEL Coalition to develop a watershed management plan. 

In 2006, Huron Pines was again awarded a Section 319 grant to revise the plan to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards for watershed management plans. A summary of the plan is available in an easy-to-read format below.

Improving Crossings to Improve Habitat -- PRVEL Projects 2010 & 2011
Seven sites in the Pine River-Van Etten Lake (PRVEL) watershed have been selected for improvement in order to provide upstream passage for fish and other aquatic organisms while also reducing the amount of sediment delivered to the downstream portions of the Pine River. Improving these sites will result in reconnecting over 70 river miles of trout stream and decrease sediment loading by over 80 tons per year.   

One million dollars was awarded to the project from the US Forest Service through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Funding for this project was secured as a result of identifying resource concerns and developing a watershed management plan. Huron Pines is administering the grant and is working closely with the Alcona County Road Commission to improve the crossings.

Right: the culvert is undersized and crushed at the inlet. This constricts water flow, accelerating velocity and resulting in fish passage problems. 

Each of the seven crossings will be enhanced by replacing the existing culverts with larger structures that are better aligned allowing for free-flowing movement. Sediment control practices will also be implemented by hardening the approaches and installing diversion outlets. In addition, the Pine River-Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition will be conducting pre and post monitoring at several of the sites. 

Road/Stream Crossings to be Improved
The seven sites that are a part of the project are listed below. 

#80 Vandercook Creek & Vandercook Road
#87 McGillis Creek & Buhl Road
#136 W. Branch Pine River & Fowler Road
#144a Sprinkler Lake Outlet & Adams Road
#144b Sprinkler Lake Outlet & USFS Road
#157 McGillis Creek & Bean Hill Road
#213f Loud Creek & Stout Road

Above: #136 The undersized culvert is creating a pool at the outlet and also has embankment erosion. The road approaches are long and steep contributing additional sediment to the river.

Partners
Alcona County Road Commission
Huron Pines
Pine River-Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition
US Forest Service
Wilcox Professional Services

For more information on these road/stream crossing projects, please contact Lisha Ramsdell, lisha@huronpines.org.

For more information on the Pine River-Van Etten Lake Watershed Coalition, please visit http://www.huronpines.org/project/46.