Deflector berms were used to narrow the Red River stream channel to a width of 30 feet (left) from the previous channel width of over 130 feet. - FWS photo by Gary Van Vreede

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Stockbrige-Munsee tribal representatives supervise construction of a channel deflector berm in the Red River. - FWS photo by Gary Van Vreede

View of a section of the Red River channel restoration project completed the previous year. - FWS photo by Gary Van Vreede

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists place habitat structure within newly constructed Red River stream channel.  - FWS photo by Stewart Cogswell

The Red River is a cold-water stream flowing through the heart of the Stockbridge-Munsee Indian Reservation in the northwest Shawano County, Wisconsin. 

Due to dam construction and other alterations made to the river to transport timber during the logging era, this section of river had become wide and shallow. 

These conditions caused a reduction in flow velocity and an increase in water temperature, resulting in the degradation of cold-water stream habitat. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with the Stockbridge-Munsee Community to complete a one mile stretch of stream restoration that will improve fish and other aquatic habitat in the Red River.  A primary focus of the project was to restore critical habitat for the brook trout, a culturally significant species for the Tribe and a focus species of the Service.

Service Biologists Stewart Cogswell and Gary Van Vreede worked together with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Tribal Biologists to develop and implement the river restoration plan. 

Restoration work began in the summer of 2006 and was completed in the fall of 2007.  The project has restored nearly a mile of cold-water stream habitat.  Restoration was accomplished primarily through the use of natural channel design, stream modification methods. 

These techniques were used to create a narrower, deeper, more natural hydrologic river channel.  The deep pools and riffle areas that have been restored will provide important cover and spawning habitat for native brook trout.  

Logs and boulders were placed throughout the channel to provide instream habitat for fish and other aquatic species.  Backwater areas created behind the deflector berms were seeded with wild rice and other native vegetation. 

These areas will provide excellent habitat for waterfowl and other marsh birds.  Funding for the project was provided through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Fish Habitat Restoration Fund.