Baldwin Dam Removal
The Pere Marquette River is unique in being the only major river system in the entire Lake Michigan watershed without a dam on it’s mainstream. The sole major dam is on the Baldwin River, located with the Village of Baldwin limits. It currently is privately owned, having been constructed in the early 20th century as a Department of Conservation (now MDNR) fish hatchery. Over 100 years later, the Baldwin Dam is showing signs of wear and has become a concern to several organizations and individuals.
PMWC supports it’s removal due to liability should the dam fail, the warming effects due to the impoundment and the nutrient/waste problems resulting from the fish rearing ponds. However, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is not able to assist in the removal as it currently serves to keep sea lamprey from migrating upstream – which is their first concern. PMWC is working with the owner, MDNR, USF&WS, and Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA) to find a compromise in removing, or at least lowering, the level of the Baldwin Dam as well as locating funding sources to accomplish the task.