Big South Project
In the 1970’s the Ludington Pumped Storage Project (LPSP, the “project”) was constructed by Detroit Edison and Consumers Power utilities. Part of the permit agreement and subsequent litigation was to provide for fish killed as Lake Michigan water is pumped up into the 380’ reservoir at night, and released to power the turbines when energy is needed during the day. The Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT) was established to distribute grants for the trust for improving fisheries throughout the state; although varying due to on-going fish mortality counts, the trust was to allot over $75 million (now $2.5M/year, 25 years). In 1998, first year for awards, the Pere Marquette Watershed Council received $750,000 from GLFT to demonstrate “increased spawning opportunities for salmonids, adding to the naturally reproduced population in Lake Michigan”, arguing our river is most proximally impacted by the fish kill.
The PMWC program, named the Big South Habitat Improvement Project (Big South Project), was coordinated by Director Robert “Bob” Nicholson. Mainstream Resources ran the project, with Dave Cozad completing the work. The first year was devoted to obtaining baseline fish numbers, water temperatures, insect counts and the planning for construction sites. Years two and the first half of the 3rd year were the construction years, mostly completed with paid labor, but some volunteer prison labor assisted at times. The following two years were to have been used for monitoring changes.
The Big South Project was designed to study various methods of erosion control, various means of sediment removal and through construction of gravel bars on artificial riffles to provide areas for salmon and steelhead spawning in areas where natural spawning was minimal or not previously seen. While the conclusions were highly successful, several significant problems were encountered:
- Past agricultural practices in the headwaters, primarily tiling, draining, and channeling, results in “flashy” high flood waters (debris 4-5’ in streamside trees).
- A dam failure on Freeman Creek completely overwhelmed the sandtrap and gravel bar constructed on that tributary.
- Trout Unlimited’s Stream Sweeper™ dredge was unable to access all sites intended.
- Spring snow melt resulted in such turbidity that accurate steelhead spawning counts were underestimated.
- Unexpected illegal poaching was seen at those highly productive new spawning riffles, resulting in reduced numerical counts.
- The five year limit of the grant funding did not provide adequate time to measure returning of the project’s mature salmon due to their 3-4 year life cycle.
Nonetheless the demonstration was considered an overwhelming success with several parameters noted:
- Constructed riffles provide a substrate much more suitable for stream flora and fauna and provide more stable environments and velocities as well as being more pleasing aesthetically.
- Newly created riffles are sustaining salmonids spawning activities above baseline, and in sites where there is no previous record of successful spawning.
- Gravel ,when added, supports a higher density and diversity of macroinvertebrates as witnessed by increased numbers of Cedar Waxwings feeding on the insects.
- Calculations from fish counts from the study indicate it is possible to generate a naturally-produced migrant salmon smolt for nine cents each compared to DNR’s estimate of hatchery-reared fingerlings at eleven cents apiece. Scientific literature supports naturally reproduced fish having a greater fitness than hatchery fish.
- A classroom curriculum and field water quality testing program was developed for local ISD schools; grades 3-12 will participate in learning more about river ecology while providing monitoring of the PM’s waters.
- A pavilion was constructed in cooperation with the Ruby Creek Recreation and Conservation Club with an interpretive center and trail to explain what was done and why, as well as providing a fishing and observation platform.
All in all, we accomplished the goals PMWC set, with benefits to our river, Lake Michigan, and the fishery resource. The project has definitely benefited our lives in the Great Lake State.
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