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Huron River Flat Rock Dam Removal/Improvement

6K views 25 replies 11 participants last post by  chris0093 
#1 ·
Just thinking out loud here. Does anybody feel that a fish ladder improvement project or dam removal/ remodel would greatly improve migratory runs in the "Upper" stretch to Belleville dam? I feel as if the current ladder, although functional, is in the worst possible place to pass large numbers of fish. Especially those that run currents, such as walleye and steelhead. I understand the funding just isn't there, but has there been any efforts or planning to make any modifications to this system? It truly is a beautiful stretch of river and with a boat launch added above, would certainly give plenty opportunities.
 
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#2 ·
That would be awesome but I don't see it happening in my lifetime (im only 43). Just no money or "interest" (sure we and everyone I fish with would love it, but in the grand scheme only like a couple hundred people would actually care if this happened).

Heck we talk about it all the time at the shop (Schultz's) about how great it would be if they took all the dams out to Ypsi how much quality steelhead water would appear if they did that.

J-
 
#4 ·
That would be awesome but I don't see it happening in my lifetime (im only 43). Just no money or "interest" (sure we and everyone I fish with would love it, but in the grand scheme only like a couple hundred people would actually care if this happened).
Yeah, I believe you're right. It's sort of a shame really. So many westside GL tribs get all kinds of attention. It's all about where the money is I guess. When talking great lakes fish, the majority of fisherman in this area go after the walleye, perch, and other species famous throughout Lake Erie/St.Clair lake and system. Perhaps if more people even took a canoe float from Belleville Dam to the mouth, they would realize the beauty the river offers, and would be more motivated to improve the system.
 
#3 ·
A Barnes Wallis campaign on all unused/forgotten/rotten old dams would be nice to see. Hope, wait, and pray. I have seen 3 somewhat local dams go away that I never thought would and another is in process.
 
#5 · (Edited)
The data suggests dam removal results and better fishing in most cases. However, I don't believe we should remove the dam at Flat Rock if we are looking for better steelhead fishing. It may just be me, but I have not found a good place to fish above Flat Rock. More importantly, fishing seems to be below Flat Rock Dam or in the lower section of the river. Since the steelhead are unable to spawn effectively in this river, I believe they should be concentrated for harvesting by every child, woman, and father who can catch them. We are naive to think that the Huron River is in the same league as the Muskegon, White or Manistee river. I am glad that the DNR continues to plant steelhead in the river because I enjoy going down there with the opportunity to catch them.

I would support them making it easier to float dam to dam. This makes a lot of sense especially with the popularity of canoes and kayaks.

Additionally, I would support the DNR purchasing more land below the dam so that there's more fishing space available for shore fishermen.

Another idea is ask the DNR to plant Pennsylvania mutt steelhead that run the rivers in the fall and throw in Manistee stain that run the river in the spring. This way you could have a great steelhead fishery for 9 months of the year.

In closing, the Huron River is a gem that could provide more fishing opportunities for everyone. We could have kids lining that river catching steelhead if we plant more fish and concentrate them below the dam. We should also buy shore fishing access. Take the darned fish latter out too.

Just my .02....

Scott
 
#6 · (Edited)
The data suggests dam removal results and better fishing in most cases. However, I don't believe we should remove the dam at Flat Rock if we are looking for better steelhead fishing. It may just be me, but I have not found a good place to fish above Flat Rock. More importantly, fishing seems to be below Flat Rock Dam or in the lower section of the river. Since the steelhead are unable to spawn effectively in this river, I believe they should be concentrated for harvesting by every child, woman, and father who can catch them. We are naive to think that the Huron River is in the same league as the Muskegon, White or Manistee river. I am glad that the DNR continues to plant steelhead in the river because I enjoy going down there with the opportunity to catch them.

I would support them making it easier to float dam to dam. This makes a lot of sense especially with the popularity of canoes and kayaks.

Additionally, I would support the DNR purchasing more land below the dam so that there's more fishing space available for shore fishermen.

My last suggestion is the DNR should be throwing in Pennsylvania mutt steelhead that run the rivers in the fall and throw in Manistee stream that runs the river in the spring. This way you could have a steelhead fish before 9 months of the year down there.

Just my .02....

Scott
I am in agreement with you that the Huron isn't the Manistee, Muskegon, or White and won't be just because a dam was removed. I understand the steelhead fishery of Erie is not that of the more suitable great lakes. Lake Erie is mainly a put and take steelhead fishery. Like it or not. Yes, limited natural reproduction in a few tribs, but heavily reliant on plants overall. What Lake Erie DOES offer is a crazy forage base and warmer temps that favors put and take plants to grow quickly. Besides the steelhead part of the equation, all migratory runs would benefit, along with fish ranging anywhere from sturgeon to musky to channel cats. I am curious your reasons of not having a better place to fish along the Huron above the dam. Are you speaking mainly of accessible areas to bank fish? I would agree on that one with you as well. Access points are very limited along the upper stretch. By boat I have covered some amazing areas ranging from gravel to riffle/pools and have found holes up to 20 ft deep. With a few more access points for fishing, add a boat launch or two, we could have a great river accessible to boaters and bank fisherman alike. I am a firm believer based upon experience that the majority of the lower Huron is horrible steelhead waters. There are limited winter holding areas along the stretch and even fewer gravel areas for steelhead to spawn over.The opposite is true above. When it comes to steelhead even walleye, I feel what is lacking is easily passable areas over the dam, with the ladder to the far side in the slack, stagnant waters. Just to be able to cover the entire 17 miles to target Steelhead, and even walleye in such a tranquil and wild stretch of river would be worth the efforts alone.
 
#7 ·
Another idea is ask the DNR to plant Pennsylvania mutt steelhead that run the rivers in the fall and throw in Manistee stain that run the river in the spring. This way you could have a great steelhead fishery for 9 months of the year.
The lower Huron currently has a steelhead fishery for 7 months out of the year BTW
 
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#8 · (Edited)
I must admit I am biased toward steelhead. I am also amazed how many people fish down in Flatrock in the spring. My vision is that everyone leaves with a steelhead - Spring or Fall. If you remove the dam, that makes that park just a park on the river.

It is also true that there is decent steelhead fishing in the fall. However, if you ever get a chance to go see how good Pennsylvania fishing is during the fall, you will walk away with the same idea that I had - plant London strain with Manistee strain in the huron for a robust fishery. I also agree with you about the food source in Lake Erie. That lake is alive and can support a lot more steelhead and other fish. God knows there are enough white bass to go around. Our DNR has chosen to throw in 60 - 70000 steelhead the river that is close to the population. This seems to result in marginal fishing most days and a few bang em days here and there. I'd like to see it as a destination spot for chromers that has consistent fishing every day.

I have a 16 foot jon boat that is great for the huron. If there was a launch above Flatrock I may feel differently about this section. Not impressed with what I've seen by fishing from shore.

It's funny you mention about the quality of the water below Flat Rock.
If your measuring the quality of the river by the bottom I agree --it is mostly mud.

If you told me the Huron River could become the next Maumee River for walleye spawning, I may feel differently about the dam. In this regard, the dams are bad. Removing the dam would reduce walleye snagging for sure.
 
#10 ·
The water above the ladder has very good water for every specie to spawn therefore more would come into the river in the event we throw away the coffer dam and possibly the larger one. That dam has ruined a few miles of river making it impoundment like but the rest of the upper lower huron is prime water with loads of access more than the lower lower huron. I'd like to see fishable numbers of more species above the ladder than what we have. Muskie steel bass and pike have been up it but it would be nice to have that whole section open to let even more of them come up also including walleye, sucker, and lake erie carp. It would be more of a fishery than it already is and would bring a lot more attraction to the river. I love seeing people use the Huron. My favorite river hands down.
 
#13 ·
Being purely a steel guy myself, i can't see benefit in getting more fish above flat rock, other than to spread out angling pressure. Like many rivers in our state, it just gets too dang warm to support much natural repro. Regardless of habitat, it just can't happen without the temperature. Just my two cents.
 
#14 ·
No offense but I am seeing steel as secondary anyway. It would be nice to see the native fish use a lot more of the river and bring more opportunities. More steelhead water would just be a plus, but from spending this year solely on the upper lower I see what it has to offer. At the moment you'd be surprised how good the fishing is up there and its access. The amount of walleye, smallmouth, carp, northerns and muskie up there are pretty darn good and getting rid of the dams would create a trophy year round river. Cold and warm. Removing the dam in Flat Rock could benefit water temps, clarity, and flow. The only problem would be the elevation issue. Now the fix for that would be a rock dam gradually letting the water go through a riffle sequence slightly downwards. French Landing, I can't see ever getting removed as of the benefits it has with Belleville Lake. Now it would be nice to have fish ladders up all those dams too but there are just way too many dams. The fish most likely would never get 50 miles up the river with all the dams. Im pretty sure its pretty close to how far Ypsi is in river miles but that's just a guesstimate. Also, that would allow the invasive species to get into our impoundments easier. I don't see them ever opening French Landing and above to lake erie species but I would like to see better runs of fish above the ladder (getting rid of the dam or not). If need be can there be a way to get a better ladder that isn't made from wood and blocked by a shopping cart? Also the location of it is very bad, even though its in the line of the current from the impoundment.
 
#15 ·
I agree that the Belleville dam will never be removed. Too much in the way of waterfront properties, too large of an impoundment. The Huron is unfortunately the close birthplace of "Dams" in Michigan. 94 on the entire watershed. That is crazy! I fully understand the Huron has been changed for good for the most part along most of its way. From Erie to Belleville I think totals around twenty five miles. A considerable stretch in these parts with only one dam in between. Does anyone know of the Flat Rock dam still serves a function? Is there any hydroelectric power still being harvested from it? It seems it would be a semi easy project even if just the rock gradient structure was added to the present dam. I realize no natural reproduction in the Huron would exist for steelhead but that doesn't directly mean steelhead fishing would never improve. There are west side rivers that have virtually no natural reproduction and they offer productive steelhead fisheries, just because of threre size alone. I would bet returns would increase just having the added area for the fish to benefit from. Far too many Huron steelhead bump heads at the existing dam, with its warm water flowing out of it, do their thing than quickly drop back. Also, limited holding area throughout the winter means less fish around come spring. I think far too many steelhead come and go out of the lower all winter long with how often lake Erie fluctuates a good part of the river. Besides steelhead, the walleye runs would increase I think tremendously. With what HuronBrowns was saying, all fish would benefit. Natural and planted.
 
#16 ·
An argument can be made to just close that fish ladder permanant. There is such limited if any natural reproduction for steelies that spreading the fishery out from the lake to bellevile does nothing for the urban angler in southeast michigan. By closing the ladder and condensing the fish to the 8 or so miles of river downstream, a fishery that i believe can rival steelhead alley here in our corner of the state can be created. People do not line up in huroc park to catch catfish or pike or even bass, it is the steelhead that draws the crowds. The river there sets up perfect with 3 boat ramps and enough foot traffic access as well including parks and pull of the road spots to accomodate. Why should we worry about spawing habitat in the huron when our state has hundreds of miles of trout water up north. What we need here is an urban fishery. Less than an hour drive from metro detroit and real opportunity to catch fish. I have been fishing that river for twenty years and it fishes like a big river and could easily hold 1000 fish per mile and one would never see one standing on the bank. We can all benefit from an urban jem like the huron.
 
#17 ·
It's because bank access is tricky and there aren't a whole lot of spots where an angler can wade in and swing flies. The warm water fishery exceeds many of the alleys tribs but it doesn't compete for steelhead. I've caught my fair share all across the river spring fall winter and even summer.. The numbers the alley has is superior, plus it is very difficult to get at the steel when they stage because of the hurons mouth. It's a slow river in general so it is hard for presentation in a lot of spots. Don't get me wrong the Huron is my favorite river in the state, with the PM being second, but it is not a great cold water fishery. There are many places to catch them above the ladder which I have, but we don't see the numbers that even make it up to the ladder. You should check the data taken a long time ago.. you'd be surprised at what other species in numbers made it through.
 
#20 ·
Just because the river doesnt lend itself well to fly fishing, doesnt mean we cant have a quality steelhead fishery. I have fished many of steelhead alley rivers and believe that if our dnr puts a little more effort the huron can be a destination fishery. Why should the warm water fishery dictate. We have thousands of inland lakes for that and not to mention erie and lake st clair for anglers who want to enjoy that. I also have a problem with our state encouraging those fish to get up into the meteoparks as access there is more limited than one might think. The metropark boat access is non existant unless you want to canoe or kayak and play the two vehicle game. I have also been kicked out of the park for trying to launch a cataraft with an outboard on it. It pisses me off that the meteopark authority controls that river and thus the fishery. Also, the river bank itself is mostly natural with steep banks and the hurons depth makes it almost impossible to wade. U mention "great spots" but no numbers. That comment makes my whole point. Fish get up there and they are gone. The huron is also my favorite river to steelhead fishand have fished and guided all over our state. I have caught them every which way on that river in the current as well as the frog water. In fact, my most consistent hole in that river is frog water believe it or not. In the end, the dnr is missing out on an opportunity to make the huron into something special.
 
#21 ·
Closing the ladder would also increase bank access to those fish and provide opportunity for anglers who have limited resources. Let those fish stack up in huroc park and people catch them. After all, that is why they are stocked there to catch, not spawn. In college, i worked at wolf lake state fish hatchery and was a part of severl stocking efforts there. I promise you, there is minimal if any reproduction there and it was always meant to be a put and take fishery
 
#22 ·
Closing the ladder would also increase bank access to those fish and provide opportunity for anglers who have limited resources. Let those fish stack up in huroc park and people catch them. After all, that is why they are stocked there to catch, not spawn. In college, i worked at wolf lake state fish hatchery and was a part of severl stocking efforts there. I promise you, there is minimal if any reproduction there and it was always meant to be a put and take fishery
I agree and have agreed from the start there is virtually no natural reproduction on the Huron. Removing the dam/improving fish passage I feel would directly influence the amount of fish returning to the Huron, and I mean fall/winter runs. More holding water above F.R. than below. I feel there just isn't enough of what the fish want to be in during the winter to stay in the lower, rather they head back out to Erie and up the D instead. Wouldn't doubt plenty of areas along the Detroit river where numerous steelhead winter in holes along current breaks and Eddie's. But that's just my opinion, not stating any facts.
 
#23 ·
I live in Belleville most of the fish reproduce above that fish ladder I have seen them on beds in metro park as well as creeks above flat rock that ladder is the reason fish are returning to that river fish may be more spread out than some would like but there is gravel and natural reproduction does occur. for many species above the ladder including steel head
 
#24 ·
There is no doubt that fish spawn but the biology of the situation is about water temp. The huron just gets too warm too fast for fry trout to survive. Lets say both dams were removed. I would think water levels would drop. Steelhead will not always return to the same spot rather they follow current and water they like which is why they end up in obscure little places like ditches and smaller mud creeks when flows are up. Maybe the solution we seek is just to plant more fish in the system.
 
#25 ·
I do volunteer work for the HRWC and part of what I do is stream monitoring for the creeks that flow into the Huron. We check the creeks for bottom composition, flow, sediment, and most importantly temps. We place underwater thermometers in the creeks and let them stay there all summer long. In September we pull them and check the data. The smaller streams just get to warm to sustain the fry. I'm sure a few fry may survive but a natural, sustainable reproduction just isn't going to happen.

The Huron River is what it is, a put and take fishery. The location is great for us locals but it is never going to be as great as the west side rivers or Ohio tribs.
 
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