The Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve recently received a $2,500 grant from the Michigan Fly Fishing Club for trout habitat restoration on the Yellow Dog River. YDWP staff will work with local community volunteer organizations and sportsman’s clubs to install bank stabilization mechanisms and weirs to reduce sedimentation. Currently, sedimentation is the main threat to the local trout population of the Yellow Dog River. Some sedimentation is natural, but many sites have been impacted by human activity, such as building roads too close to the river’s edge or sustained foot traffic in areas that are unstable. The amount of sediment that has entered the stream over time has filled in many of the deep pools on the lower stretch of river. Deep pools are critical for trout because they provide refuge during temperature extremes. Also, the substrate has changed significantly over time from coarse gravel to pure sand which impacts fish spawning and reduces the habitat for macroinvertebrates which are food for fish. Through this grant he YDWP will: 1. Reduce the amount of sediment entering the stream that is filling in deep pools, 2. Increase the amount of coarse substrate necessary for successful spawning, 3. Increase the amount of deep pools for trout to use, 4. Provide ample opportunity for community members and organizations to be meaningfully involved in the process. For more information contact Emily Whittaker (906) 345-9223 or email emily@yellowdogwatershed.org.