Iron County Conservation District
Iron River Watershed Project
2 South 6th Street, #15
Crystal Falls, Michigan 49920
(906)875-3765 Telephone ~ (906)875-4693 Fax
bob.gussert@macd.org
Iron River Watershed
 Iron County, Michigan is home to a multitude of opportunities to appreciate and enjoy our natural resources. Camping, hiking, canoeing, boating, hunting, and fishing opportunities abound and provide those who pursue them with rewarding experiences. One of the highlights of Iron County is the Iron River Watershed. The Iron River is fortunate enough to support one of the finest naturally reproducing brook trout populations in the upper peninsula and is the source for brood stock for the Department of Natural Resources brook trout hatchery program.A watershed can be simply defined as an area of land which drains to a particular body of water. The Iron River watershed consists of approximately 61,440 acres located in southwestern Iron County. With its origins near the area of Beechwood and Lake Ottawa, the river gradually travels southeast where it empties into the Brule River. The Iron River watershed contains the Iron River along with eight significant tributaries and five major lakes. Of the approximately 40 miles of streams that constitute the Iron River watershed, 12 1/2are classified as blue-ribbon trout water.
Iron River Watershed Council
 In 1997, various residents of the Iron County community came together to form the Iron River Watershed Council. Although from different backgrounds and professions, they all shared a common ground. Each member of the council recognized the Iron River Watershed as a valuable asset to Iron County. They saw that despite the hardships that the river had faced, the Iron River Continues to be a productive brook trout stream which has both great promise and serious threats for the future. Their belief was that by protecting, promoting, and improving the Iron River they could both rectify some of the damages done in the past, and insure that the Iron River Watershed remained a viable resource for both the natural ecosystem and the local community.One of the most damaging influences to the Iron River watershed came from the acid mine drainage from the Dober and Buck mines. In 1995, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality filed a lawsuit against the Hanna Mining Company which sought retribution for the environmental degradation that occurred as a result of their mining practices. The parties agreed on a settlement in which the Hanna Mining Co. was made to apply remediation tactics to limit acid runoff as well as fined for $318,000.00 dollars in damages. This money was to be administered by the state, but managed by the newly formed watershed council. The award was earmarked specifically for activities to repair, enhance, or protect the Iron River, as well provide for increased public use. The settlement spawned the idea for the watershed project, and the monies will serve as the financial foundation for the activities that the council will undertake over the next several years.  One activity that the watershed council has since become recognized for is the annual Adopt-A-River clean-up day. Each year a clean up effort is organized and run by the Iron River Watershed Council which has the participation of many high school students, local clubs and organizations, and interested individuals. These members of the community wade through the river picking up litter in the river and along its banks. Everything from couches to toilet seats, and truck tires to bicycles have been withdrawn during this event. In 2001, an estimated 8000 pounds of garbage was collected over the course of the day.
Iron River Watershed Project
In 1999, through the efforts of the Iron River Watershed Council, the Iron County Conservation District was awarded a 319 planning grant to begin development for a management plan for the Iron River Watershed. That summer the watershed project officially began with the hiring of a full time  project manager. With the Watershed Council acting as steering committee, an inventory of the watershed was conducted, an information and awareness campaign begun, and strategies to address sources of non-point pollution were developed. The amount of effort involved throughout the planning grant culminated with the development of the Iron River Comprehensive Management Plan. The management plan details the state of the watershed and describes many of the projects which will be undertaken over the next few years as well. It also supplies information to help direct improvement activities that may be developed in the future. A copy of the management plan is available at the West Iron County Public Library, or you can contact the Iron Conservation District.The time and energy that were spent over the course of the initial planning grant resulted in the successful award of two subsequent grants which will fund implementation of activities through 2004. Using grant funds, as well as partnerships with local citizens, businesses, governments, and agencies we will begin work on projects which will improve habitat and water quality and reduce the amount of polluted runoff and sediment that enters the river. Additionally, we will continue our efforts to increase public awareness and appreciation through information and education activities. These endeavors, along with the continued collaboration with the Iron River Watershed Council will help to maintain one of Iron County's most distinctive natural resources.
For more information on the Iron River Watershed visit the web site recently created:
http://www.ironriverwatershed.org |
