TRAVERSE CITY — Work continues on FishPass, a project designed to complete a decades-long effort to restore the Boardman (Ottaway) River by reconnecting it with Lake Michigan while preventing invasive species from moving upstream.
FishPass will replace the deteriorating Union Street Dam with a new 6.5-foot vertical barrier across the river. The structure is designed to block all fish but will eventually use automated sorting technology to allow passage of select native species.
According to project details, any fish movement during the first 10 years will be limited, coordinated with fishery management agencies and restricted to species native to the upper Great Lakes.
The project includes three main components: a physical redesign of the river channel and dam area, a research center for scientists to test fish-sorting technologies and an education hub with community outreach programs in a revitalized city park.
Partners supporting FishPass include local, tribal, state, and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, the City of Traverse City, and funding sources such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Dam Management Grant, the Great Lakes Fishery Trust, and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
A FishPass Advisory Board provides leadership on research, community involvement, regulatory issues and long-term project oversight.
Local authorities will continue to own and maintain the dam, park, and surrounding city property.
Officials said the project has been shaped through community collaboration with guidance from the Traverse City Commission and the FishPass Advisory Board.
Public consultations led by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will determine which species are considered desirable for passage.
The state has committed to allowing no salmon or steelhead passage for 10 years after construction. Tribal officials support two-way passage only for species native to the Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior basins.
FishPass construction is expected to begin in 2024.
Project documents, including engineering drawings, research plans, assessment models and site-selection reports will be updated over time.
Questions can be directed to the project’s lead engineer and scientist at fishpass@glfc.org.