The maple river restoration project is a high-impact, community-driven partnership organized by a diverse partnership of non-governmental organizations (ngos), tribal, and governmental entities that…

The maple river restoration project is a high-impact, community-driven partnership organized by a diverse partnership of non-governmental organizations (ngos), tribal, and governmental entities that aims to restore and reopen a dormant 4.6-mile river channel disconnected from the muskegon river during michigans logging ERA in the 1800S. Through feasibility studies, community visioning, culvert replacements, and DAM removal, a restored maple river will bring watershed-wide benefits. Focus is being given to assist in expansion of an anishinaabe wild rice stand, climate resiliency, and improved emergency services through increased agricultural and roadway flood conveyance, RE-establishment and reconnection of a fishery lost for over a century, and support for diminishing property values in two under-served and impoverished rural townships. This project is an important first step in removing two undersized road crossing culverts and replacing them with full spanning, open bottom bridges. The bridges will increase the capacity of the maple river closer to its historic channel and move water more effectively to accommodate flow through the historic channel, improve resiliency to flooding, and allow for recreational watercraft pursuits. The complex nature of the project requires a broad range of partner skills and abilities who will collaborate with five different contractors during the four-year project. Encompass consulting LLC will serve as a representative of muskegon river watershed assembly to oversee the project and will collaborate with JMB associates and a design contractor to complete permitting, selection and management of design and construction contractors, and monitoring. Two design contractors, yet to be selected, will be responsible for synergistically developing engineering and design plans with the project team and replace the culverts with appropriately sized and positioned bridges. The final products of this agreement will include: completed feasibility, engineering, and design plans for replacement of two road stream crossings and a hydrological study to determine water conveyance in the reconnected river channel.