Looking down from the top of this 50 ft. erosion site you can see the fieldstone that was placed to curb erosion on a drainage area, the large woody debris (whole trees) placed by helicopter at the toe of the site, and biologs used to stabilize the toe and terrace this large erosion site. Claybanks erosion site on the AuSable River near Mio, MI - FWS photo by Heather Rawlings

Biologs were installed at the toe of the erosion site and to terrace upper parts of the site to encourage vegetative growth. - FWS photo by Heather Rawlings

Two stream bank erosion sites on the Au Sable River were repaired on the private properties of two landowners in Oscoda and Crawford Counties, Michigan during the summer of 2007. The repair of these sites was coordinated with many partners, and is part of a larger effort to curb non-point source pollution in the Au Sable River watershed. The Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) biologist, Heather Rawlings, was part of a watershed team that identified problem sites, prioritized work actions, secured necessary funding and implemented the restoration projects.

The first site, located on the property of Mercy Hospital in Grayling was repaired with a combination of rock rip-rap, biologs, tree revetments and multiple plantings of shrubs and native grasses. This site, 400 feet in length, was repaired with labor from the Au Sable Watershed work crew and volunteers from the Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited. The site was repaired on the weekend of June 2.

The second site was a segment of stream bank, 1200 feet long and 50 feet high, located just downstream of the Mio Dam in Mio. This site required additional coordination since half of it is located on private land and half is on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land.  PFW funds were used on private land and supported by additional partner funding on the federal land. This large site was repaired in stages. In the fall of 2006 large woody debris (whole trees) were placed at the toe of the site by helicopter. During the week of August 27, 2007, a combination of biologs, rock rip-rap and biolog terraces were installed by the Au Sable River work crew, the Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited and personnel from Huron Pines RC&D, the USFS, and the Service. Vegetation was planted to stabilize eroded sections of the site on September 12, 2007. This site will be monitored for many years to come to ensure its continued healing.

This project will benefit interjurisdictional fish, primarily the brook trout. By controlling erosion and sediment loading into the stream, the number one pollutant of northern Michigan streams, we are helping to increase habitat quality and improve spawning opportunities for native fish. While the sites are not located in the Northern Michigan Stream focus area for the PFW Program, they are within an area identified in a locally driven watershed conservation plan through a 319 grant, and on a nationally renowned trout stream. In addition to improving the habitat value, restoration projects on the Au Sable help improve the recreational value of the stream, which is critical to the local economy.

This project is representative of PFW stream projects in northern Michigan, through which we can assist with, and add to, locally lead watershed conservation efforts and in the process benefit Service trust species.