muskegon river dam

Hardy Dam is an earth-filled embankment dam and powerplant complex on the Muskegon River in Big Prairie Township, Newaygo County, Michigan. Large resident Brown, Rainbow trout, Smallmouth bass and walleye are also numerous in the Muskegon River which makes it a great year round fishery. The Hardy Dam Pond Navigation App provides advanced features of a Marine Chartplotter including adjusting water level offset and custom depth shading. 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. 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. A canoe and a boat pulled up to the front of the house to replace cars for transportation. (Bay City Times/ Wes Stafford), Caption: The corner of Forest St. and Franklin St. in Bridgeport as seen from a rowboat. Cut off from spawning habitat in lakes and rivers across the state, Michigans sturgeon population has shrunk to 1 percent of its historic size. Case in Point Little Log cabin on the Big Muskegon River. The rain cons tines to fall and conditions are becoming worse. The average annual discharge of Muskegon River at Croton Dam is 51.9 m/s. 8 0 obj <> endobj 87 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<057F26FCBBFC4483A8C2D1EF7EB174C2>]/Index[8 102]/Info 7 0 R/Length 286/Prev 557887/Root 9 0 R/Size 110/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream (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. Paddling Michigan. Take, for example, the Muskegon River, where migratory native lake sturgeon once had free reign of the 219-mile river from Lake Michigan to Higgins Lake. And environmental and ratepayer advocates have signaled theyll be watching closely, ready to object to any effort to stick Consumers ratepayers across Michigan with costs to keep a dam around primarily because its reservoir benefits lakeside residents or neighboring communities. And sediments became trapped in reservoirs, starving the river downstream while causing the ponds to fill with silt. For the best performance on this website and others, please upgrade On the Kalamazoo River, hundreds of residents who live on the reservoir created by the Calkins Bridge Dam have joined a property owners association that is lobbying for its survival. (2023). Starting at $120 Starting at $40 Starting at $80 We have a drift boat for all your river fishing needs. Warm water resident fish: The most popular warm water fish are smallmouth bass and northern pike. Hillstrom, Kevin, and Laurie Hillstrom. 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). Constructing blinds, target shooting, baiting, burning and fire pits are strictly prohibited on all Consumers Energy land. 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. Open House Sunday January 15, 2023 1-3 $269,000 1 Bed 1 Bath 800 Sq. If you will be contacted, you will receive a letter in the mail with additional details. The river drains 2,725 square miles of watershed and passes over four major dams, Reedsburg, Rogers, Hardy and Croton on its journey to Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan. 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. The river passes through Clare County, Osceola County, Mecosta County, Newaygo County, and Muskegon County, and generally flows southwesterly to its mouth at Muskegon, Michigan, where it empties into Muskegon Lake. Flood damage seen in an unmarked photo in the Grand Rapids Press files. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. Today, its one of the more expensive power sources we provide, said Adam Monroe, Consumers executive director of hydro operations. Rogers Dam is located in Mecosta County south of Big Rapids, with Hardy Dam and Croton Dam located in Newaygo County. Published: Nov. 24, 2022, 9:00 a.m. Like many of its neighboring streams, the Muskegon was one of the favored logging rivers during the boom years of the 1880s-1890s, and a keen eye can still pick out remnants of stray logs embedded on the river bottom, left over from the spring logging runs. Agents, Brokers, Realtors and For Sale By Owner: Advertise Lakefront Property in MI . (MLive file photo), Flood waters from the Tittabawasee flood the Saginaw Township wastewater plant early morning, Sept. 14, 1986. Consumers is an immensely profitable company, Soodek said. And across the state, large crowds showed up at public meetings with Consumers to voice their fears about the future. While most wading anglers concentrate their time between Newaygo and Croton Dam, boats will motor all the way downstream. In this series, members of the Great Lakes News Collaborative, Michigan Radio, Bridge Michigan, Great Lakes Now, and Circle of Blue, explore what it might take to preserve and protect this precious resource. Hardy Dam Pond features a 50-mile shoreline that surrounds nearly 4,000 acres of water. Riverfront. Where are the people that actually live here, where is this community going to survive?. Text >>(231) 519-7348. The Pere Marquette Park is a park that offers different hiking and biking trails for every member of the family to enjoy throughout the various . Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. hb``e``zQ Consumers Power Company acquired the Dam for the purpose of developing hydro-electric power for the area. Those imbalances played out dramatically in 2020, when two privately-owned Midland area dams failed amid heavy rainfall. The Great Lakes region is blessed with an abundance of water. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Ben Beversluis), Wayne W. Allswede of Frankemuth cleans out mud from under the hot water heater in friend Ralph Zimmermann's home in Saginaw Township. 1 Croton Dam.25 hrs : 1 mile float 2 Pine Street 2.0 hrs : 6 mile float 3 Thornapple 2.5hrs:6.5milefloat 4 Henning Park 1.75hrs:4.5milefloat 5 Anderson Flats During the lumbering era, it transported thousands of logs to the 47 lumber mills on the shores of Muskegon Lake. (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. In 1900, the company began work on two major projects, the reconstruction of the Newaygo Dam and the construction of the Newaygo Powerhouse to provide water powered energy for the plant. From there it flows mostly southwest to Muskegon, Michigan, where it empties into Muskegon Lake. Amid those changes, Consumers sold or retired most of its dams between the 1940s and 1970s. Pictured is a washed out area of Maple Island Road on the Muskegon and Newaygo county border, Sept. 11, 1986. If you receive an error, please return later this evening to view your updated balance and make a payment if needed. Bay City Times. The river source is located at Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. The river source is located at Houghton Lake in Roscommon County, flowing out of the North Bay into neighboring Missaukee County. 2 stall detached garage for all your toys plus a brand new privacy fence. $425,000. . At the time of its completion, it was the largest earthen dam in North America east of the Mississippi. The river is home to three groups of gamefish: migratory fish, cool water resident fish, and warm water resident fish. In Michigan, the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly is working to solve that problem. The Grand Rapids - Muskegon Power Company (a predecessor to today's Consumers Energy Company) built the Croton Hydroelectric Plant in 1906 - 1907. Prisoners from the Tuscola county jail were assisting with the filling of sandbags. Several streets were submerged following rainfall of over 10 inches." Aluminum flat bottom fish boats with or without a trolling motor. Webber Hydro has a capacity of 3,225 kilowatts. The Muskegon River is expected to crest late Friday at over 7 feet above flood stage. A lock ( The Croton Dam Area . Heavy rains over the past two days have caused the worst flooding in Western Michigan in over 100 years. Thats far from certain. Heavy rains sent the Cass River over its banks and into the Tuscola county community. Share. Moving north to the Manistee River, Tippy Dam provides ice free water down to at least High Bridge. The river corridor features steep banks and unique scenery. The Muskegon River is a tail water fishery north of Grand Rapids, Michigan below Croton Dam near Newaygo, Michigan. Directions. We don't think that customers should be paying the full cost of a dam if the reason its going to continue to operate is other than hydropower, said Douglas Jester, an energy policy expert who has represented the ratepayer advocacy group Citizens Utility Board in ratemaking cases. Check out The Dragon--a 40-mile bike and hike trail system. More than 90 years ago, the Hardy Dam was constructed on the Muskegon River in Newaygo County, and it was known as the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River. For most of the trip the river travels at a steady 2.5 mph and even shallow portions of the . Soodek, of the Lake Allegan Association, said she doesnt feel it should be property owners responsibility to keep the Kalamazoo River reservoir intact. Wind, for example, is 31 times cheaper. Hardy Dam on the Muskegon River is one of the largest earthen dams in the world. We have a long history with hydropower, building the Croton Hydro on the Muskegon River in 1907. Check out the Hydro Reporter for current hydro dam information and events. 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. Steps are being installed now and will be completed in the next week or two. (The Grand Rapids Press/ Ken Kolker), Partial caption reads, "looking for a wrecker after it stalled on a flooded Bay City street Thursday. The dams fragmented rivers and warmed their water, harming fish. 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. Muskegon Lake is a 1,679 hectare drowned river mouth that was created historically by fluctuating Lake Michigan water levels and the closing of a channel by wind induced erosion of sand dunes. But licenses for 11 of the 13 dams will expire in 2034, putting the company on a timeline to decide whether its logical to make the investments needed to keep them safe for the future. 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. (Grand Rapids Press file photo), Caption: "Muskegon, Mich.,-- Lauren Martin (foreground) and Carl Pieczynski, both of Norton Shores, take a canoe ride through the mona Lake Mobile Homes Park in Muskegon Heights. The Muskingum River Parkway State Park has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is recognized as the Muskingum River Navigation Historic District. All rights reserved (About Us). Guilford: Falcon Publishing, 2001. Behind Korb, water spills through the hole cut in the Hart dam to relieve pressure on the damn. (Photo by Dale Atkins), Caption: "Joanie Wilson approaches Roger Wilson and pet dog along Sylvia Street NW near Apline Avenue NW. As a result, the dams now operate at less than 40 percent of their capacity. Its banks forested and sometimes tall, the Muskegon flows clear and bright over gravel bars only to settle into dark runs and pools full of promise. Print/PDF map. Lake-run brown trout are an often overlooked game fish that are most abundant from late September through March. Saugatuck, Sept. 1986. If you were to take out all the dams, said Scott Faulkner, executive director of the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, you would have a fishery that some have estimated is 50 to 100 times more productive than if the dams were here.. At the time, before policy had caught up to the environmental consequences of dams, the impoundments seemed like miracle assets, delivering emissions-free power as reliably as a river flows. Dam Removal and the Problem of Articulating Positive Change (Grand Rapids Press/ Anna Moore Butzner), Sandbags keep flood waters at bay in this unmarked photo from the 1986 floods. It was completed in 1912. Cool water resident fish: There is a very strong population of resident brown and rainbow trout. Contact Us. View Ad # 3141988 Details. Loud Hydro has a capacity of 4,000 kilowatts. (1) USGS River gaging station on the Muskegon River near Croton. The forest along the river varies from mixed oak, pine and aspen to white cedar and hemlock stands. $78 night. (2) USGS River gaging station on the Muskegon River looking upstream towards Croton Dam. (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. Welcome to Michigan's number one Steelhead fishing destination and guide service. @ Grand Valley State University, Muskegon, MI 06/2015 - 12/2016 Postdoctoral Research Associate School of Marine Science, University of Maine, Orono, ME Publications Zhou, X., P. Xue, Q. Liu, M.D., Row. But he has a few of his own: Eighty-six thousand people come to recreate on the Alcona Dams reservoir each year, including those who fill up the townships 450-site shoreline campground all summer. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 584 were here. Muskegon River (/mskin/ ms-KEE-gn) is a river in the western portion of the lower peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. There are three man-made reservoirs on the Muskegon River, the Rogers Dam Pond, Hardy Dam Pond, and the Croton Dam Pond. The river passes through Clare County, Osceola County, Mecosta County, Newaygo County, and Muskegon County, a. There wasn't much water damage. This successful work reconnected upstream and downstream habitat and reestablish the riffle, pool, and run sequence of the river. The restoration to normal operating water levels will be by May 26, 2023 (Friday prior to Memorial Day weekend). They immediately started construction on a wooden dam that would provide the power to operate Big Red the largest water powered sawmill in the state at that time. Muskegon, Michigan below Croton Dam located in Mecosta County, Mecosta,. At over 7 feet above flood stage, where it empties into Muskegon Lake to replace cars for transportation x27. An unmarked photo in the mail with additional details be completed in mail... Said Adam Monroe, Consumers sold or retired most of its completion, it the. Adjusting water level offset and custom depth shading the 1940s and 1970s River varies from oak... 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