Four dams were built along the Boardman River in Northwest Michigan to generate hydroelectric power for Traverse City.
But by 2004 they were no longer economically viable. A decision was made to remove three of the dams and renovate the last one in downtown Traverse City.
Now the removal of the dams has changed the nature of the river and allowed native fish to return.
But as the river is being returned to its natural state, the challenge has been keeping invasive species out. The answer is a state-of-the-art research facility called Fish Pass that will use a collection of technologies to determine which fish can go through.
As the first project of its kind, Fish Pass is a decade-long effort that will begin this fall and is expected to serve as a model program for other programs across the world. Part of the project includes additional amenities at the Union Street Dam in downtown Traverse City, including a pedestrian bridge, rain gardens, kayak and canoe portages and special areas for educational programs.
Dam removal in the Pacific Northwest is covered in the PBS documentary series “The Age of Nature.” For more information about that series, click HERE.
“The Age of Nature” will air on PBS stations at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesdays, Oct. 14, 21 and 28, 2020.