Habitat restoration in Areas of Concern

NOAA’s Restoration Center’s work in the Great Lakes is focused on supporting community-identified restoration priorities in Areas of Concern—environmentally degraded areas within the Great Lakes basin. The Restoration Center has carried out numerous projects in past years funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with the aim of improving fish passage, cleaning up marine debris, restoring coastal wetlands, and removing invasive species.

New products

  • GLRI Story Map: Since 2010, NOAA has worked through the GLRI to restore habitat across the Great Lakes region. NOAA projects have improved fish passage, cleaned up contaminated debris, restored coastal wetlands, and removed invasive species. Take a virtual tour of some of these major restoration projects from across the region, from the Buffalo River in New York to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
restoring a national treasure
(NOAA Restoration Center)
  • Buffalo River Habitat Restoration: Video highlighting work In New York State to restore nearly two miles of shoreline and 20 acres of habitat at eight sites along the lower Buffalo River. Project led by the Great Lakes Commission and supported by NOAA through Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding.
FY2023 Projects

  • Ducks Unlimited will develop plans to restore wetland habitat at Camp Sabroske in Ohio, contributing toward restoring the Maumee Area of Concern. ($374,687)

  • Great Lakes Commission will develop outreach materials for an ongoing restoration project at Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park in the Niagara River Area of Concern in Buffalo, New York. ($14,503)

FY2022 Projects

  • The Great Lakes Commission will continue to partner with NOAA to implement several habitat restoration projects that benefit native fisheries in the Maumee and Niagara River Areas of Concern. ($10,445,540) 

FY2021 Projects and Technical Assistance

Multiyear regional habitat restoration partnerships will focus on restoring fish passage, debris removal, hydrologic reconnection, in-stream and nearshore habitat improvements and invasive species removal. ($1,685,000)

FY2020 Projects
  • West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission will partner with NOAA to restore fish passage and wetlands in the eastern Lake Michigan watershed. The first year of the partnership will prioritize work in Little Cedar Creek, a high-quality cold water tributary to the Muskegon River. ($187,207)
  • Friends of the Detroit River will continue to partner with NOAA on a suite of habitat restoration projects within the Detroit River Area of Concern. In partnership with NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Friends of the Detroit River will begin restoration of Sugar Island, part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Funding will also support ongoing work at Lake Okonoka on Belle Isle. ($12,422,115)
  • Great Lakes Commission will continue to partner with NOAA to implement several habitat restoration projects that benefit native fisheries. In the second year of the partnership, the Great Lakes Commission will continue to work on restoration projects in Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River. ($788,695)
FY2019 Projects
  • Friends of the Detroit River will partner with NOAA to carry out habitat restoration projects within three Areas of Concern: the Detroit River, Rouge River, and River Raisin. Projects will remove hardened shorelines, protect coastal wetlands, and replace invasive plant species. In the first year of the partnership, FDR will complete plans to restore Sugar Island and Hennepin Marsh in the Detroit River. ($919,575)
  • Great Lakes Commission will partner with NOAA on several habitat restoration projects that will benefit native fisheries. In the first year of the partnership, GLC and partners will carry out restoration activities in the Muskegon Lake, Maumee River, Cuyahoga River Areas of Concern, as well as at a priority coastal wetland restoration site in northeast Illinois connected to the Calumet River. ($7,150,103)
  • St. Clair – Detroit River Initiative is a collaborative effort to implement a diverse range of restoration projects in the coastal counties of southeast Michigan. Funding will support construction for the Brandenburg Park Restoration Project, which will improve degraded coastal wetlands and restore high-quality habitat for native fish species. ($750,091)
FY2018 Projects
  • Great Lakes Commission will undertake diverse coastal restoration projects along the St. Clair-Detroit River System in southeast Michigan. The initial two projects will restore degraded coastal wetlands and nearshore habitats for fish to migrate, spawn and grow. ($1,624,589)
  • Great Lakes Commission will continue ongoing efforts on the Cuyahoga River in Ohio, and Muskegon Lake in Michigan, both Areas of Concern. The first is helping complete design and engineering for the restoration of two-thirds of a mile of the Cuyahoga River, and its floodplain at the Cascade Valley Metropark. Secondly, there are five projects aimed at restoring Muskegon Lake, including engineering and design at three properties to restore almost 18 acres of habitat and improve shoreline resiliency, develop long-term maintenance plans, and implement ecological monitoring for projects on Muskegon Lake. ($1,400,000).
FY2017 Projects
  • Friends of the Detroit River will receive $766,408 to continue Celeron Island restoration, and $225,000 to conduct a feasibility study for restoration of Sugar Island, both in the Detroit River, Michigan. This phase of the restoration project is a major step in completing habitat re-construction among the islands in the lower part of the Detroit River.
  • Great Lakes Commission will receive $265,000 in year 1 for engineering and design of habitat restoration of Lake Okonoka on Belle Isle in the Detroit River. The primary project goal is to provide fish access to historic spawning and nursery habitat in addition to habitat benefits for reptiles, amphibians and migratory birds. A total of up to $25,000,000 for additional restoration in the region is anticipated over a three-year period. will receive $375,000 to develop design plans for wetland restoration at Penn 7 in the Maumee AOC in Ohio and to dispose of dredge material from restored wetlands at Black Creek Marsh in the Clinton River AOC in Michigan.
FY2016 Projects
  • Ducks Unlimited will receive $600,000 in year 1 for restoration at the Toussaint Wildlife Area, a 231-acre coastal wetland complex located in a bend of the Toussaint River in Ottawa County, Ohio. The project will restore fish access into the wetlands and remove levees and water control structures. A total of up to $20,000,000 for additional restoration in the region is anticipated over a three-year period.
  • Friends of the Detroit River will receive $265,000 in year 1 for engineering and design of habitat restoration of Lake Okonoka on Belle Isle in the Detroit River. The primary project goal is to provide fish access to historic spawning and nursery habitat in addition to habitat benefits for reptiles, amphibians and migratory birds. A total of up to $25,000,000 for additional restoration in the region is anticipated over a three-year period.
  • Great Lakes Commission will receive $8,058,200 in year 1 for construction of the Lower Muskegon River wetland restoration. Roughly $7.9 million of these funds will support work in Muskegon Lake, which is a Habitat Focus Area under NOAA’s Habitat Blueprint. This project will reconnect the former floodplain wetlands with the Muskegon River and restore fish passage and habitat for a variety of native fish and wildlife. A total of up to $40,000,000 for additional restoration in the region is anticipated over a three-year period.
FY2015 Projects
  • Detroit River AOC Stony Island Habitat Restoration (Detroit, MI) — $7,575,138 awarded to Friends of Detroit River: This project will restore habitat shoal, protect and create fifty acres of backwater habitat, and incorporate new habitat structures for amphibians, reptiles, fish and birds.
  • Remediation of Contaminated Sediment within the Manistique River Area of Concern (Manistique, MI) – $4,000,000: Additional funding to support the project identified with FY12 and FY13 funding. NOAA is contracting and distributing funding to complete actions at the Manistique River AOC that will remove the two remaining BUIs.
  • Rouge River AOC – Henry Ford Estate Dam Fish Passage and Habitat Restoration Design (Dearborn, MI) – $350,000: This project will design passage around the HFE Dam and hydrologically reconnect 50 miles of the Rouge River and 108 additional miles of its tributaries to the Great Lakes system.
  • Maumee River Wetland Restoration Engineering and Design Activities at Penn 7 (Toledo, OH) – $175,000: This project will undertake the site characterization and evaluation to determine the feasibility of restoring 15.2 acres of emergent coastal and floodplain wetland on the Maumee River.
  • St Marys/Little Rapids Habitat Restoration Project (St Marys River, MI) – $3,482,549: Additional funding to supplement the project begun in FY13. This project will restore water flow to historic rapids habitat in the St. Mary’s River through the re-design and replacement of an existing causeway which is presently constricting flow. Implementation of this project is the last remaining restoration action needed to remove the AOC’s habitat-related beneficial use impairments (BUIs) and is an important step in delisting the AOC.
  • Muskegon Lake Bear Creek Hydrologic Reconnection and Wetland Restoration Project (Muskegon, MI) – $8,000,000: This project will reconnect this degraded wetland to Bear Creek and Bear Lake to restore fish and wildlife habitat and improve the nutrient functions of this former floodplain wetland.
  • Lower Muskegon River Design and Permitting Project (Muskegon, MI) – $500,000: Funding for the design and permitting of the LMR project, which will remove the dike system from the former Bosma celery farm to restore a natural, native wetland habitat.
  • Buffalo River AOC Habitat Restoration Project (Buffalo, NY) – $1,603,500: Additional funding to supplement the project begun in FY13. This project will support the implementation of the Riverfest Park and Blue Tower Turning Basin and support the engineering and design of several additional sites needed to improve habitat in the Buffalo River Area of Concern.
FY2014 Projects

  • Black River Landing and Heron Rookery Restoration Project (Lorain, OH) – $1,347,644 awarded to the City of Lorain: The main goal of this project is to restore the physical conditions of the Black River’s riverbank and aquatic habitat to benefit fish and other species by stabilizing the stream bank and restoring in-stream habitat.

  • Lower Black River Heron Rookery Restoration Phase II Assessment (Lorain, OH) – $175,000 awarded to the City of Lorain: Experts will determine the presence and extent of any subsurface contamination and make recommendations for restoration of a six-acre riverside area to natural conditions. Once restored, this area will be suitable for nesting herons and other birds. In addition, the proposed restoration will expand the floodplain area that is connected to the Black River, providing important water quality benefits to aquatic plants and animals.

  • The Howard Farms Habitat Restoration Phase II Project in the Maumee AOC (Toledo, OH) – $1,488,944 awarded to Ducks Unlimited: Funding will support the completion of critical infrastructure improvements (e.g. levees, water control structures, pumps, fish passage structure) that were initiated with Phase I of the project. The overall goal of the project is to restore 568 acres of coastal wetlands which will also restore hydrologic exchange, fish access and wetland & upland habitat on the Howard Farms property.

  • Black Creek Marsh Coastal Wetland Restoration Project (St. Clair, MI) – $648,000 awarded to the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority: This project will reconnect the Black Creek Marsh with Clinton River, restoring marsh habitat and increasing the diversity and abundance of fish species and other wildlife. The project will also increase recreational opportunities within the Lake St. Clair Metropark.
  • Marine Debris Removal and Prevention on Belle Isle (Detroit, MI) – $50,000 awarded to the Alliance for the Great Lakes: The Alliance will remove 250 tons of debris from the shoreline and will work with over 500 volunteers on local shoreline cleanup efforts. Funding for this project is provided by both GLRI and the National Ocean Service’s Marine Debris Program.
  • Hydrological analysis and pre-design of Belle Isle’s Lake Okonoka for Habitat Enhancements (Detroit, MI) –$319,692 awarded to the Friends of the Detroit River: A hydrologic analysis, feasibility study and pre-design work will be conducted to complete two important restoration projects: Belle Isle forested wetland restoration and Lake Okonoka reconnection and shoreline restoration. Once implemented, these projects will restore nearly 300 acres of habitat.
  • Clinton River Spillway Restoration – Phase I Implementation Project (Detroit, MI) – $2,511,800 awarded to the Macomb County Public Works Office: This project will restore four areas within the spillway corridor including replacing an existing concrete rubble shoreline with a living shoreline and addressing invasive species. This project builds off of a previously funded GLRI award that supported the engineering and design of the restoration project.
  • Muskegon Lake Habitat Restoration Project (Muskegon, MI) – $5,966,500 awarded to Great Lakes Commission and working with local partners including the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission: This project will remove mill debris from Muskegon Lake, restore open water conditions, and improve fish and wildlife habitat at several sites including the Veterans Memorial Park. The project builds off of a previously funded GLRI award that supported the engineering and design of the restoration needed.
  • Chambers Grove Spawning Habitat Enhancement and Shoreline Restoration Project (Duluth, MN) – $400,000 awarded to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources): This project will remove 800 feet of hardened shoreline in a critical spawning area of the St. Louis River estuary. This will help to restore the natural function of the shoreline and to re-establish spawning habitat for lake sturgeon, walleye, and smallmouth bass.
  • Buffalo River AOC Habitat Restoration Project (Buffalo, NY) – $2,919,053 awarded to the Great Lakes Commission and working with local partners including the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper: This project will support the implementation of the Riverfest Park and Blue Tower Turning Basin and support the engineering and design of several additional sites needed to improve habitat in the Buffalo River Area of Concern.
  • Stream and Wetland Restoration in the Ulao Creek Milwaukee Estuary AOC Project (Milwaukee, WI) – $692,626 awarded to Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department: This project will restore high quality spawning, rearing, and nursery habitat for fish and wildlife including important recreational species such as northern pike, walleye and white sucker which have been diminished due to former habitat fragmentation
  • Remediation of Contaminated Sediment within the Manistique River Area of Concern (Manistique, MI) – $2,000,000: Additional funding to support the project identified with FY12 and FY13 funding. NOAA is contracting and distributing funding to complete actions at the Manistique River AOC that will remove the two remaining BUIs.
FY2013 Projects
  • Remediation of Contaminated Sediment within the Manistique River Area of Concern (Manistique, MI) – $6,200,000: Sediments and associated wood waste/debris are contaminated with historical discharges of PCB in a 1.7 mile section of the river. With funding provided by GLRI, NOAA is contracting and distributing funding to complete actions at the Manistique River AOC that will remove the two remaining BUIs.
  • Buffalo River Area of Concern Habitat Restoration Project (Buffalo, NY) – $1,762,000: This project will implement the Riverbend Phase II habitat restoration and prepare design plans for Old Bailey Woods and adjacent parcels, Blue Tower Turning Basin, and River Fest Park. Implementing these projects will improve the overall health of the ecosystem and directly contribute to the removal of the degradation of fish and wildlife populations and loss of fish and wildlife habitat BUIs, ultimately delisting the AOC.
  • Howard Farms coastal wetland habitat in Ohio’s western Lake Erie basin – $383,329: Through a regional partnership with Ducks Unlimited, this project will restore coastal wetland habitat in Ohio’s western Lake Erie basin and is the largest farmland-to-coastal wetland restoration in the western Lake Erie watershed in many decades. This project will be funded over multiple years, and once fully implemented, at least 2,500 feet of natural stream channel and 980 acres of associated wetland and upland habitats will be restored to the historic Cedar Creek riverbed. More than 28 fish species will benefit from restoring and reconnecting these coastal marshes to Lake Erie.
  • Menomonee River Fish Barrier Removal Project (Menomonee, MI) – $142,100: The NOAA funding will be used to complete the design necessary for the removal and restoration of five fish passage barriers along the Menomonee River. Each barrier completely spans the river channel.
  • Develop the engineering design of habitat restoration on two islands in the Detroit River Area of Concern (Detroit, MI) –$480,692: The proposed project will conduct a comprehensive investigation of the sediment quality in the areas of the proposed restoration; develop alternative approaches to construction [due to possible results from the sediment analysis a “do Nothing” alternative will also be included]; perform an evaluation of the alternatives involving local stakeholders, MDNR, MDEQ and NOAA; select a preferred alternative; finalize design, and produce shovel-ready design documents.
  • Rouge Oxbow Restoration Project – Phase III Design (Dearborn, MI) – $256,272: This is the final phase in the restoration of the Oxbow at the Henry Ford. The design will hydraulically reconnect the oxbow to the Rouge River and continue habitat restoration that wasbegun under Phase I in 2003. This will be accomplished by removing the existing fill berm and removing a portion of the existing concrete channel.The design will modify the riverbank and include bioengineering techniques, riparian habitat creation, slope stabilization, and site access. Of equal importance is construction of appropriate hydraulic structures at the oxbow channel inlet and outlet that breach the existing earthen berm and provide an open hydraulic connection that can withstand the high velocities associated with flood flows and will contain the 100-year storm.
  • St. Louis River Restoration Initiative Implementation in Radio Tower Bay Phase II (Duluth, MN) – $1,500,000: Additional phase to a project funded in FY10 that will include the removal of additional debris and restoration of benthos and enhance aesthetics and access; to provide an overall improvement to fisheries habitat and increase recreational fishering opportunities.
  • St Marys/Little Rapids Habitat Restoration Project (St Marys River, MI) – $6,000,000: This project will restore water flow to historic rapids habitat in the St. Mary’s River through the re-design and replacement of an existing causeway which is presently constricting flow. Implementation of this project is the last remaining restoration action needed to remove the AOC’s habitat-related beneficial use impairments (BUIs) and is an important step in delisting the AOC. This project builds off of a previously funded GLRI award that supported the engineering and design of the restoration project.
FY 2012 Projects
  • Marine Debris Removal and Prevention on Belle Isle (Belle Isle, MI) – $50,000: Alliance for the Great Lakes will remove 375 tons of non-accumulating debris and naturalize 72 linear feet of shoreline and coastal wetland with native plants and natural rock in the Detroit River Area of Concern. This project will improve habitat for native fish species including muskellunge, smallmouth bass, and walleye. Funding for this project is provided by both GLRI and the National Ocean Service’s Marine Debris Program.
  • Upper St. Clair River Habitat Restoration (Port Huron, MI) – $2,000,000: The Community Foundation of St. Clair County will restore 4,300 feet of shoreline by removing 700 feet of seawall and 2,600 tons of debris, will construct 0.75 acres of native fish spawning habitat, and will construct 1.75 acres of shallow water nursery habitat in the St. Clair River Area of Concern. This project will benefit native fish species including lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, and walleye.
  • Restoring hydrologic connectivity, fish passage and coastal marsh at Ottawa NWR in the Maumee River AOC (Toledo, OH) – $700,000: Ducks Unlimited will restore hydrologic exchange and fish passage to Lake Erie for 1,460 acres of emergent wetland habitat in the Maumee River Area of Concern. This project will benefit the Lake Erie nearshore native fish community and other wetland dependent wildlife.
  • Restoring Fish Passage in the Red Run Headwaters (Troy, MI) – $985,000: The City of Troy, Michigan will remove the Aquatic Center Pond Dam, replace two failed metal culverts with concrete box culverts, and reestablish over three acres of native riparian vegetation buffer in the Red Run Drain. The project will restore over 1,400 acres of stream channel and reconnect 1.7 miles of headwater tributaries to the lower Lane Drain in the Clinton River Area of Concern.
  • Invasive Vegetation Control in the Lower Black River Area of Concern (Lorain, OH) – $925,000: Lorain County will remove invasive plant species throughout the lower Black River riparian area in Black River Area of Concern. Both chemical treatment and manual removal methods will be used over a two year time period to control invasive vegetation that is widespread within the project corridor. Native shrub species will be planted within the project area once the invasive species have been removed. Twenty seasonal employees will be hired by the project. These employees will be local unemployed residents of the county.
  • Maumee Corps: Putting People to Work Restoring Habitat in the Maumee AOC (Toledo, OH) – $800,000: The Maumee Corps will be a team of seasonal, part-time, and full-time workers focused on habitat restoration in the Maumee Area of Concern. The primary role of the Maumee Corps will be invasive vegetation removal using prescribed burns, herbicide treatment with backpack sprayers, and mechanical removal using loppers, pruners and mowers. In total, the Maumee Corps is expected to support 26 seasonal, part-time, temporary and/or full time positions. It is anticipated that when all of these projects are completed, more than 1000 acres of habitat will be improved.
  • Marine Debris Removal in the Manistique River Area of Concern (Manistique, MI) – $850,000: This project will determine the most appropriate restoration techniques to remove sawmill debris and associated contaminants in the Manistique River Area of Concern. Upon implementation of the recommended restoration techniques, this project will ultimately result in delisting the Area of Concern.
FY 2011 Projects
  • Wayne Road Dam Removal and Habitat Improvement Project (Wayne, MI) – $1 million: The Alliance of Rouge Communities will remove the Wayne Road Dam. This will restore fish passage to migratory species such as salmon, walleye, northern pike and small mouth bass, and improve shoreline habitat. It will also reconnect 22 miles of the Rouge River with the Great Lakes.
  • Lower Black River Habitat Restoration (Lorain, OH) – $1 million: In the second phase of this project, the city of Lorain, Ohio will build more than 2,800 feet of habitat for walleye, smallmouth bass, and northern pike. This project will also restore up to two acres of riparian habitat,and will remove more than 45,000 cubic yards of recyclable steel mill slag in the Black River, a tributary to Lake Erie.
  • Muskegon Lake Hydrologic Reconnection and Mill Debris Removal (Muskegon, MI) – $313,000: The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission will develop designs for a project that will soften 2,850 feet of shoreline, restore up to 126 acres of floodplains and emergent wetlands, and remove more than 197,000 metric tons of unnatural lake fill debris. Once implemented, these restoration actions will fulfill the remaining 51% of habitat-related beneficial use impairments in the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern.
  • Clinton River Spillway and Fish Habitat Restoration (Clinton Township, MI) – $340,000: Macomb County will develop plans to improve fish passage along two miles of restored channel, directly connecting nearly 200 acres of river corridor to Lake St. Clair.
  • Buffalo River RiverBend Habitat Restoration project (Buffalo, NY) – $167,000: Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper will develop plans to restore and soften 1,520 feet of river shoreline. Implementation of these actions will complete half of the actions needed for removal of habitat-related beneficial use impairments in the Buffalo River Area of Concern.
  • Lower Black River Fish Habitat Restoration Project (Lorain, OH) – $350,000: In the third phase of this project, the city of Lorain, Ohio will develop plans to build shallow underwater rocky fish habitat shelves, totaling more than 1,600 feet of new habitat for walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and longnose gar in the Black River, a tributary to Lake Erie.
  • Habitat Restoration in the Maumee Area of Concern (Oak Harbor, OH) – $1.3 million: The Nature Conservancy, in partnership with Ducks Unlimited and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will restore and enhance 512 acres of critical coastal wetland and marsh habitat within Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. The project will reconnect 127 acres of wetlands to Lake Erie.
  • Little Rapids Habitat Restoration Project (Sault St. Marie, MI) – $348,000: The Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning & Development Commission will develop plans to modify the Sugar Island causeway to restore flow to 10 acres of pre-existing rapids habitat in the St. Marys River. This will serve as important spawning and nursery habitat for species such as lake whitefish, lake sturgeon, and walleye. Once implemented, this project will address half of the actions needed to remove the two fish-related beneficial use impairments in the St. Marys River Area of Concern.
FY 2010 Projects
  • Removal of the Campbellsport Millpond Dam (Campbellsport, Wis.) – $684,000 – The Village of Campbellsport will remove the Millpond Dam, opening fish passage throughout the uppermost 25 miles of the Milwaukee River and restoring approximately 22 acres of wetland and 3,000 feet of free-flowing river.
  • Erie Marsh Preserve Coastal Wetland Restoration Project (Erie, Mich.) – $2.5 million –The Nature Conservancy will construct and improve levees, water distribution canals, and water control structures; install a new water supply system; and build a fish passage structure. This will increase the quality and diversity of approximately 258 acres of coastal wetlands and provide additional fish spawning and rearing habitat.
  • Fordson Island Oxbow Restoration and Debris Removal (Detroit, Mich.) – $150,000 – Detroit Wayne County Port Authority will remove 15 metric tons of shoreline debris in and around Fordson Island. The island, located in the Rouge River just upstream of the Detroit River, is uniquely positioned as a refuge for fish and wildlife. Funding for this project is provided by both GLRI and the National Ocean Service’s Marine Debris Program.
  • Lower Black River Fish Habitat Restoration Project (Lorain, Ohio) – $1.7 million – The City of Lorain, Ohio will build two fish habitat shelves, totaling more than 3,000 feet of new fish habitat, in the Black River, a tributary to Lake Erie.
  • Restoring Lake Erie Hydrology and Coastal Marsh (Middle Harbor, Ohio) – $643,000 – Ducks Unlimited will install a culvert to establish fish access and restore the water connection to Lake Erie. At least 350 acres of submerged aquatic grasses and other native vegetation will be planted, which will provide natural and long-term flood control in the marsh.
  • Radio Tower Bay Restoration Project (Duluth, Minn.) – $665,000 – In the first phase of this project, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and its partner, the Minnesota Land Trust, will remove marine debris, including 460 derelict pilings, from Radio Tower Bay.
  • Restoring Native Fish Spawning Habitat in the St. Clair River Delta (St. Clair, Mich.) – $890,000 – Michigan Sea Grant will construct 40,000 square feet of native fish spawning habitat in the St. Clair River and connect spawning habitat to almost 14 square miles of rich, underutilized nursery area in the St. Clair delta.
  • Coastal Fisheries Habitat Restoration in the St. Lawrence River (Watertown and Alexandria Bay, N.Y.) – $1 million – As part of an on-going restoration effort, Ducks Unlimited will install fish passage and excavate river channels at three locations in the upper St. Lawrence River watershed in New York. The project will restore and enhance 110 acres of marsh ecosystem and fish spawning habitat.
  • Watervliet Dams Removal in the Paw Paw River (Berrien, Mich.) – $920,000 –The Berrien County, Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, will remove two concrete dams, restoring fish passage to more than 172 river miles, including 31 miles of the mainstem Paw Paw River, to Lake Michigan.

Contact:
julie.simmons@noaa.gov
See also: Habitat Restoration through NOAA’s Restoration Center