Reedsburg Dam

Reedsburg Dam
Location within the state Michigan
Location County Road 300
Enterprise Township, Michigan
Coordinates 44°21′22″N 84°51′33″W / 44.356120°N 84.859300°W / 44.356120; -84.859300Coordinates: 44°21′22″N 84°51′33″W / 44.356120°N 84.859300°W / 44.356120; -84.859300
Purpose Flood control
Status Operational
Opening date 1940 (1940)
Built by Civilian Conservation Corps
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Barrage
Impounds Muskegon River
Reservoir
Creates Dead Stream Flooding
Total capacity 540 acres (219 ha)

The Reedsburg Dam is a non-hydroelectric barrage dam crossing the Muskegon River in rural Enterprise Township in eastern Missaukee County in the state of Michigan. The dam was constructed in 1940 by the Civilian Conservation Corps to alleviate flooding from Houghton Lake, which is the source of the Muskegon River approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) upstream. The resulting reservoir is known as the Dead Stream Flooding. The Reedsburg Dam is the smallest and newest of the four remaining dams along the Muskegon River, which includes the Croton Dam, Hardy Dam, and Rogers Dam much further downstream.

The dam provides a popular and easily accessible fishing destination. Common fauna in the Muskegon River and Dead Stream Flooding include bluegill, pumpkinseed, small and largemouth bass, yellow perch, native crayfish[1], northern pike, and bowfin (colloquially referred to as "dogfish"). The surrounding area is open to seasonal waterfowl, turkey, and deer hunting. The footpath across the dam is commonly used by hunters to access the more remote wilderness trails—some of which belonged to the long-defunct and removed railway lines of the Missaukee Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad.[2]

Other popular activities include bird watching, geocaching, photography, swimming (jumping off the dam into the reservoir), and canoeing/kayaking. Rustic camping is available at the adjacent Reedsburg Dam State Forest Campground on the north side of the dam, which is operated by the nearby North Higgins Lake State Park.[3] The campground contains a public boat launch, but larger boats are discouraged due to the shallowness of the Dead Stream Flooding. The surrounding area is incorporated into the Dead Stream Flooding State Wildlife Management Area, which extends east into neighboring Roscommon County.[4]

The dam is undergoing major reconstruction since August 2018 and running for almost one year. The construction is necessary to repair the nearly 80-year-old earthen dike and concrete and steel structures. During this project, the Dead Stream Flooding will be completely drained and only allow for the regular flow of the Muskegon River until the restoration project is complete, in which the flooding will return to normal levels by summer 2020. The campground will remain open, but the dam itself will be closed to the public during the project.[5][6]

References

  1. ↑ Davison, Alisha (20 September 2015). "Michigan Crayfish – Understanding Our Native and Invasive Species". Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  2. ↑ Abandoned Rails (2018). "The Missaukee Branch". Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  3. ↑ Michigan Department of Natural Resources (2018). "Reedsburg Dam State Forest Campground". Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  4. ↑ Michigan Department of Natural Resources (14 August 2015). "Dead Stream Flooding State Wildlife Management Area" (PDF). Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  5. ↑ Fisher, Keith (30 May 2018). "Reedsburg dam in Missaukee County set to undergo significant maintenance upgrades; preparation starts this summer". Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  6. ↑ Hopper Usher, Karen (8 June 2018). "Reedsburg Dam to get some TLC". Retrieved June 28, 2018.
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