Michigan Mixed Bag: Popular fishing lake being lowered

Onaway, Mich. — A popular northern Michigan fishing lake is being lowered after suspected seepage was discovered below its aging dam. The Michigan DNR began gradually lowering Tomahawk Creek Flooding this month after a state inspection found unusually high water, limited flow through the dam’s outlet and possible “boils” emerging downstream.

The drawdown, announced Aug. 12, will lower the 574-acre impoundment by at least 2 feet and potentially as much as 4 feet by fall, according to DNR officials. If suspected seepage continues, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy could order the DNR to drain the impoundment completely. That is not currently planned, but engineers are monitoring conditions and determining what comes next.

“It’s just these historic water levels,” said Tim Cwalinski, DNR northern Lake Huron fisheries manager. “You’ve got boat launches on both sides of the lake that people can’t put their boats in at all because it’s flooded up into where they back their boats in.”

The problem threatens a popular recreation destination spanning portions of Presque Isle and Montmorency counties.

The dam was constructed in 1965 and is owned by DNR Fisheries.

It consists of an earthen embankment and water control structure that holds back Tomahawk Creek.

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‘Nature Awaits’ Field Trips Set for Fall

Lansing — Fall registration is now open for Nature Awaits, an education initiative that allows fourth grade classrooms to visit a state park on a free field trip. Educators can choose from 30 state parks throughout Michigan, with transportation costs for public schools reimbursed up to $1,000. Trained DNR educators lead participants through 90 minutes of student-centered activities – aligned with state curriculum standards and spanning a variety of subjects such as science, language arts, social studies and physical education – during an interactive hike.

“Nature Awaits really exemplifies the main goals of the DNR,” said DNR Education Services Manager Tracy Page. “It reaches students with factual science, promotes the understanding that Michigan’s natural resources belong to them, and actually gets them outside and experiencing nature in a fulfilling way.”

Fall trips will begin in September and run through November. For more information, email DNR-NatureAwaits@Michigan.gov.

State to Purchase Nearly 5,000 Forest Acres

Lansing. — The state plans to purchase 4,494 acres of forestland near the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula from The Nature Conservancy for more than $4.9 million. The Michigan DNR said the acquisition is the first of two phases negotiated in partnership with The Nature Conservancy.

After purchasing the property as an interim owner, The Nature Conservancy worked with the DNR and local community groups to determine the best long-term ownership solution.

Julia Petersen, the Keweenaw Peninsula Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy, said when the property was placed on the market in 2021, some Keweenaw residents were deeply concerned about its future. For generations, Petersen said, the land has remained open to the public for hiking, biking, hunting, fishing and snowmobiling. When the property went up for sale, she said residents worried they could lose access to those recreational opportunities.

“The whole intent of this project from the very beginning was to protect the natural and cultural features and to ensure access for the public remains,” Petersen said.

The purchase also will protect tribal lands and historic features that have been part of the area for hundreds of years.

Federal Grants for Tree Planting, Inventories

Benton Harbor, Mich. — Tree planting in the Upper Peninsula’s Breitung Charter Township, street tree maintenance and planting in Benton Harbor, and tree planting in Three Rivers are among the community projects across Michigan sharing in nearly $650,000 in grants. The Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Grant Program is made possible via the Urban and Community Forestry Program in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.

“Trees are essential community infrastructure, and this grant program helps extend their many benefits to more Michigan communities,” said Kerry Gray, DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program grant specialist. The grants are awarded through the Michigan DNR.

The grants were awarded to 15 communities and organizations benefiting more than 1.5 million Michigan residents. The grantees will collectively plant and care for more than 1,200 trees, create inventories of city trees and develop plans to sustainably manage over 2,000 public trees.

Hunting, Fishing Opportunities Expanding

Washington, D.C. — The Department of the Interior recently announced the largest expansion of hunting and sport fishing opportunities in the history of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, adding more than 92 million acres for hunting.

In total, the final rule will deliver 1,488 new hunting and sport fishing opportunities across 32 states.

An “opportunity” is defined as the ability to hunt or fish a specific species at a specific location, providing a clear measure of expanded access across the system.

The final rule will increase access at 111 field stations, including 107 national wildlife refuges and four national fish hatcheries. It also includes first-ever hunting or sport fishing opportunities at 14 refuges and three hatcheries, reflecting continued progress toward maximizing access where compatible with conservation goals.