Greasey Creek Road Crossing after culvert installation. - FWS photo

The Montmorency County Road Commission completed a culvert replacement at the Greasey Creek Road crossing on Greasey Creek in Northern Lower Michigan, Nov. 9. 

The project identified an undersized and perched culvert that negatively impacted native brook trout passage in the Thunder Bay River Watershed. The culvert also contributed to ponding of water upstream causing water temperatures to warm. 

The project was completed by replacing the old inadequate culvert with a structure that allows for brook trout movement into the upper stretches of Greasey Creek, the headwaters of the Thunder Bay River.  Replacement of the culvert opened up approximately 5 miles of aquatic habitat for native brook trout.

Two brook trout swimming upstream through the new structure were witnessed by workers on site shortly after installation of the new structure. Oversight for project construction was provided by Alpena FRO Biologist Wells and Lisha Ramsdell from Huron Pines RC&D.  

Funding for this project was provided by the Region 3 Fish Passage Program, the Montmorency County Road Commission, and Huron Pines RC&D.