- Thunder Bay River
Thunder Bay River is a
river in theU.S. state ofMichigan . It drains much of Alpena County and Montmorency County, and a small portion of Oscoda County, into Thunder Bay on the eastern side ofNorthern Michigan . The mouth of the river is in the heart of downtownAlpena, Michigan , and is guarded by the Alpena Light Station.Unlike many of Michigan's rivers, the Thunder Bay River drops considerably from its headwaters in southwestern Montmorency County to
Lake Huron . A hill near the headwaters northeast ofLewiston, Michigan is 1,270 feet (387 m) above sea level and 689 feet (210 m) above lake level. A former whitewater stretch northwest of Alpena, the "Long Rapids", carried the river down from the northern Michigan plateau to Thunder Bay. The rapids have since been drowned underLake Winyah , also known as Seven Mile Pond (see map in external links hereafter), a hydroelectric reservoir created by the Norway Dam (Also known as Seven Mile Dam).Much of the middle and upper reaches of the Thunder Bay River flow through the
Mackinaw State Forest , which is a large swathe of northeastern Michigan that, after logging was completed in the 1910s, reverted to the state for unpaidproperty tax es. The state forest contains large numbers ofaspen andbirch trees,pulpwood trees typical of second-growth Michigan forests.The largest reservoir in the Thunder Bay River basin, the 8500-acre (34-km²)
Fletcher Pond (also called Fletcher Floodwaters) in western Alpena County, began to fill in 1932. It is noted for having the second largest population ofosprey s in theMidwest . As of 2006, pond riparian property owners were actively trying to counter an exotic infestation ofEurasian watermilfoil . "Fletcher Pond EWM Control", accessed31 March 2007 . [http://www.huronpines.org/project.php?projectId=27] ]Boardwalk
As of 2007 , planning was underway for a $3.4 million river-edge boardwalk, the 2,800-foot-long (853 m) "Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail" on the north shore of the Thunder Bay River in central Alpena. The boardwalk route passes through a former industrial site, the Fletcher Paper Mill. The boardwalk will be signposted with plaques and kiosks telling the history of the river.cite journal| year=2007| month=Mar/Apr| title=Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail Under Construction| journal=Michigan History| volume=91| issue=2| pages=60–61| ]Bridges
Eager to help the motor vehicle industry, the Michigan Department of Transportation was one of the first state agencies in the U.S. to build
concrete bridges. A good example, 150 feet (45 m) long, can be found spanning the Thunder Bay River atHillman, Michigan . Raised in 1922, it is of the variety called a concrete camelback bridge, and is said to be the fifth longest such bridge in the state. "M-32 Spur/Thunder Bay River", accessed31 March 2007 . [http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9620_11154_11188-29273--,00.html] ] . The "Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Trail" will include a new pedestrian bridge across the Thunder Bay in central Alpena.Fish
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Thunder Bay River, and especially Fletcher Pond, have populations of bass, pike, and
panfish . "Thunder Bay River State Forest Campground", accessed 31 March 2007. [http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.aspx?id=637] ] . The river is also now the home of an exotic population ofEurasian ruffe . "Eurasian ruffe", accessed31 March 2007 . [http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Alpena/eurasianruffe.htm] ] .References
External links
* [http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/SPATIALDATALIBRARY/PDF_MAPS/INLAND_LAKE_MAPS/ALPENA/NINTH_STREET_POND.PDF Department of Natural Resources map of Ninth Street Pond]
* [http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/SPATIALDATALIBRARY/PDF_MAPS/INLAND_LAKE_MAPS/ALPENA/FLETCHER_POND.PDF Department of Natural Resources map of Fletcher Pond]
* [http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/SPATIALDATALIBRARY/PDF_MAPS/INLAND_LAKE_MAPS/ALPENA/SEVEN_MILE_POND.PDF Department of Natural Resources map of Seven Mile Pond]
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