Keeping The White Healthy

Photo by Charles Chandler

White River Watershed Collaborative Celebrates Progress In 2023

2023 was another busy year for the White River Watershed Collaborative (WRWC). Initiated in 2019 by  Trout Unlimited (TU) and the White River Watershed Partnership, with support from the Fremont Area  Community Foundation, the WRWC is comprised of local communities and governments, state and  federal agencies, non-profits, local business owners and White River enthusiasts. The WRWC is working  to facilitate collaborative data-driven restoration and protection of the White River Watershed. 

In 2022, West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) collaborated with local  partners to secure funding from the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, the Community  Foundation for Oceana County and the Fremont Area Community Foundation to contract with Grand  Valley State University to conduct an economic impact study of the
White River. The need for this study  was identified by the WRWC Economic Opportunity sub-committee, led by Newaygo County’s Economic  Development Director Julie Burrell. Completed in 2023, study results demonstrated just how impactful  the White River is as an economic driver. The study found that the White River has an overall economic  impact of $20 million, drawing over 35,000 visitors from outside the region each year. It was estimated  that the river increased home values by a cumulative $25 million. This study serves as a baseline to  gauge progress and the information gathered will be leveraged to target opportunities to improve the  quality of the White River and serve as justification for future investments in the watershed. 

In 2023 WMSRDC also collaborated with the Oceana County Road Commission, Grand Valley State  University, GEI Consultants and private landowners to replace two culverts on Swinton Creek with more  appropriately sized structures that support fish passage and increase flood resiliency. These projects  were made possible by funding under the Lake Michigan Rivers and Coastal Wetlands Regional  Partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This project will continue in  2024 with two additional culvert replacements on Swinton and Cushman Creek and restoration of over  1,000 feet of in-stream habitat. 

In recent years, the WRWC has invested a lot of effort into collecting the necessary data to make  informed decisions on project priorities in the watershed, including temperature monitoring, fish  passage assessments, habitat assessments and fisheries surveys. In 2023, we began to leverage those  datasets to identify additional projects that will have the maximum benefit to the watershed and its  fisheries. Ten culverts that block fish from accessing upstream habitats were identified and prioritized for  future replacement. New fish-friendly structures will also be more resilient to flood damage and reduce  maintenance costs for local communities. Additional habitat enhancement and erosion control projects  were also identified, aiming to improve in-stream habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms.  

The WRWC is now fundraising for these well-justified projects. Already, TU has obtained funding from  the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to support culvert replacement and habitat enhancement  work. These funds will be leveraged for additional support, such as funds available through the  Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

The Schrems West Michigan Chapter of Trout Unlimited (SWMTU) has invested in four Salmon in the  Classroom (SIC) programs in the local area. Through SIC, students raise salmon from eggs, learning about their life cycle and habitat needs, and eventually release them into the White River. SWMTU also held  their 3rd annual White River stream cleanup, where volunteers remove trash from the river and clean up  river access locations. 

Through ongoing collaboration, data collection and fundraising, the rubber is starting to hit the road for  implementation of restoration projects in the White River Watershed, ultimately benefiting not only the  aquatic ecosystem but the communities that enjoy and depend on a healthy White River.

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