The Maple River in Michigan has become the United States' first major river to be returned to its natural free-flowing state.
The Conservation Resource Alliance broke the news in June, announcing that the 55-mile river's liberation was the result of 25 years of work. CRA partnered with nonprofits, public and private entities, and private landowners in a project that resulted in the removal of the Lake Kathleen Dam and the replacement of every undersized stream crossing in the river.
"Our overarching goal with the Maple River Free Span Project was to essentially undo a number of manmade problems that had been imposed on the river over many, many decades, starting back as early as the late 1800s," CRA director Amy Beyer told Up North Live.
The news organization explained that centuries of building roads, culverts, and dams had resulted in a segmented river wherein water could not pass freely. This, combined with the effects of past logging, caused problems such as erosion, increased water temperatures, and flooding. This impacted public safety, as flooding events and heavy rains washed out roads or made them impassable and dangerous. Now, previously dangerous stream crossings have been replaced with large free-spanning timber bridge structures, which let the water flow underneath.
Not only will the changes improve public safety, but Beyer told the News-Review that they will also save people cash because when rivers "flow like they're meant to then it saves us a lot of expensive water treatment."
Plus, healthy, free-flowing rivers help boost the recreation economy and fight rising global temperatures, according to Pew. Beyer also told Up North Live that rivers such as the Maple are part of the circulatory system of the Great Lakes, helping to keep these large bodies of water healthy for the millions of people who depend on them for drinking water, recreation, and views.
The project also has enhanced miles of fish habitat, according to CRA's news release — some of the species that swim in the river include brook, brown, and rainbow trout, per Michigan Interactive.
This is one of a handful of projects in recent years that have sought to rewild rivers with encouraging results. For instance, Atlantic salmon spawned for the first time in 100 years in the upper waters of the River Derwent in England following the removal of a dam. Likewise, experts expect local salmon populations to rebound after a dam removal in Maine.
As for the newly free-flowing river up in the Great Lakes State, Beyer said it takes a village.
"This spectacular achievement was possible only through the unwavering collaboration and commitment of our partners," Beyer stated in the release. "Together, we've reversed over a century of ecological damage in just two decades."
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