On July 18, staff from the Alpena and Green Bay Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices participated in the Michigan Stream Team Meeting held at the Ecological Services East Lansing Field Office.  The Michigan Stream Team is comprised of state, federal and local governments that work together to make a positive impact on fish passage and aquatic habitats in the State of Michigan. 

Heather Rawlings and Susan Wells, Alpena FWCO, gave presentations on funding opportunities through the Service.  Rawlings discussed funding that was awarded to the Stream Team through the Service’s Coastal Program for the calculation of regional curves in the St. Joseph River Watershed (a tributary of the Maumee River Watershed). 

Wells discussed the National Fish Passage Program (NFPP) and the potential for new funding in the President’s budget (6 million dollars) associated with the Open Rivers Initiative (ORI) in 2008.  Susan explained that the ORI emphasizes small dam removal and other types of barriers blocking fish passage that include rock ramps, stream grade control structures, low water crossings, fish ladders and perched culverts. 

The ORI funds can be used for engineering, project design, inventorying barriers and monitoring and evaluation of projects.  The Team was pleased to hear about both funding opportunities and will be developing projects. 

Rick Westerhof from the Green Bay FWCO explained he was responsible for fish passage projects for the Eastern Basin of Lake Michigan from Michigan’s Lower Peninsula into Indiana and Stewart Cogswell was responsible for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula of Lake Michigan and Wisconsin.  The Team was pleased that Stewart was still part of the Team.  They were also glad to hear Rick was joining the Team and was stationed locally at the Jordan River NFH.

Rick Westerhof, Green Bay FWCO, Fish Biologist

Heather Rawlings, Alpena FWCO, Fish Biologist

Susan Wells, Alpena FWCO, Fish Biologist