The crystal river fish passage and restoration project entails replacing a severely undersized stream crossing structure consisting of three forty eight inch diameter corrugated metal pipes with a…

This $1,800,000 Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) supports the Crystal River Fish Passage and Restoration Project in Michigan. The project entails replacing an undersized stream crossing consisting of three 48-inch corrugated metal pipes with a three-span timber bridge that spans the full 80-foot channel width. This will restore aquatic organism passage and access to over 2 miles of upstream habitat in the Crystal River, which flows through the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Key deliverables include the new bridge structure that will allow safe passage for fish and wildlife, as well as safe recreation access for canoes and kayaks. The project is being implemented by the Conservation Resource Alliance, a Michigan-based non-profit organization focused on watershed conservation and habitat restoration.

The crystal river fish passage and restoration project entails replacing a severely undersized stream crossing structure consisting of three forty eight inch diameter corrugated metal pipes with a three span timber bridge that clears the full eighty foot channel width. Water velocities at the outlet of the existing culverts restrict aquatic organism passage and block off more than two miles of pristine upstream habitat that flows through the sleeping bear dunes national lakeshore. This undersized stream crossing structure backs up water and restricts sediment movement impacting riparian wetlands and stream substrates for over two thousand linear feet. The new bridge will allow safe passage for all fish and wildlife species under the road and allow natural processes to restore this section of river and adjacent wetland habitat. The affected section of the river contains a species of freshwater mussels identified by the state of michigan as a species of greatest conservation need. Many fish species will benefit from the project including northern pike white sucker smallmouth bass largemouth bass and yellow perch. This stream crossing structure is part of a larger effort being spearheaded by the natural resources department of the grand traverse band of ottawa and chippewa indians on the crystal river to open the full length of the river to lake michigan. The larger effort includes removing three restrictive stream crossing structures on the crystal and the conservation resource alliance is aiding the tribe by managing this grant project to support the implementation of the most upstream of the three crossings. The primary beneficiaries are the residents of leelanau county and the greater grand traverse BAY region. This includes citizens of the grand traverse band of ottawa and chippewa indians with their main reservation lands in leelanau county and their six county service area surrounding the project site. The sleeping bear dunes national lakeshore is also visited by more than one million visitors each year and this section of river experiences over fifteen thousand recreational watercraft trips per season. Portaging is recommended at the existing stream crossing structure and portaging this stream crossing risks collisions with motor vehicles while putting excess stress on the stream bed and stream banks. Canoes and kayaks will be able to freely pass underneath the new bridge structure.objectives: 1) remove the most upstream undersized stream crossing structure at the intersectionleelanau county road 675 and the crystal river.2) install a channel spanning stream crossing structure meeting the USDA-naturalresources conservation service (nrcs) aquatic organism passage conservationpractice standard.deliverables: 1) new bridge that will allow safe passage for all fish and wildlife species under the road and allow natural processes to restore this section of river and adjacent wetland habitat. 2) safe passage for visitors recreating on the river.