Graveyard Creek

Coastal Program - Great Lakes Project

A large debris dam at the mouth of Graveyard Creek, a tributary to Lake Superior, needed to be removed to allow passage of anadromous trout and salmon from Lake Superior. Graveyard Creek is located within the Bad River Indian Reservation Boundaries (Ashland and Iron Counties, WI). In the mid-1980’s, Bad River Natural Resources Department (BRNRD) personnel observed coaster brook trout spawning in Graveyard Creek along with coho salmon, brown trout and steelhead. However, due to a massive logjam that developed fish were no longer able to migrate to/from Lake Superior.  Coastal Program grant dollars were used to remove the debris dam at the mouth of Graveyard Creek, again allowing passage of anadromous trout and salmon.

A total of 15 log barriers will be removed at the completion of this project. Three miles of stream will be opened for fish migration, and stabilization of the stream banks will be enhanced to prevent erosion.  In the next several years, instream structures will also be used to restore stream flows into a single channel, which will improve coaster brook trout habitat.  The BRNRD has been a major cooperator and believes that with a minimal amount of effort, anadromous coaster brook trout can be restored once again to Graveyard Creek.

 

 

Coastal Program funding assisted the Bad River Band to restore fish passage on Graveyard Creek. The project area is located within the Bad River Indian Reservation Boundaries (Ashland and Iron Counties) in northern Wisconsin. In the mid-1980’s, Bad River Natural Resources Department (BRNRD) personnel observed coaster brook trout spawning in Graveyard Creek along with coho salmon, brown trout and steelhead.

However, due to a massive logjam that developed at the mouth of Graveyard Creek, fish were no longer able to migrate to/from Lake Superior.  Coastal Program grant dollars were used in FY 2000 to remove the debris dam at the mouth of Graveyard Creek, again allowing passage of anadromous trout and salmon.

With assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and additional Coastal Program funding in FY 2001, another 30 smaller barriers were removed as well as instream and riparian restoration work. Three miles of stream were opened for fish migration, and stabilization of the stream banks was conducted to prevent erosion.  In the next several years, instream structures will also be used to restore stream flows into the historic channel, which will improve coaster brook trout habitat.  The BRNRD has been a major cooperator and believes that with a minimal amount of effort, anadromous coaster brook trout can be restored once again to Graveyard Creek.