Courtesy Photo from Huron Pines The Trout River Dam, located in Presque Isle County, was built in the 1940s and is a critical barrier for sea lamprey. The dam is facing a complete removal as it has aged and needs significant repairs.

ALPENA — Huron Pines will lead one of nine conservation projects throughout the state on lakes and streams.

According to a recent Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) press release, courtesy of the DNR Fisheries Habitat Grant, Huron Pines was awarded $92,425 to remove the Trout River Dam in Presque Isle County.

“Huron Pines received a $92,425 DNR Fisheries Habitat Grant to fund engineering designs, a sediment management plan, permitting, and community outreach efforts related to the removal of Trout River Dam in Rogers City,” Chris Engle, Huron Pines communications associate, said. “We’re working with Presque Isle Conservation District (PICD), which owns the dam, on its eventual removal and restoration of the Trout River. Project costs and timeline will be known once full engineering designs are complete, but removal is not likely to occur in 2025.”

According to Engle, the Trout River Dam was built in the 1940s to create a pond on the Trout River, and is currently owned by PICD as part of Herman Vogler Conservation Area.

“The dam is showing its age,” Engle said. “The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Dam Safety Unit rated the concrete structure’s condition as ‘unsatisfactory’ following a safety inspection in 2022 and recommended emergency repairs to a collapsed section of masonry wall.”

Since then, Engle said PICD has partnered with Huron Pines to deal with the aging dam. Options include replacing the dam with a new structure or removing it from the river.

“In 2024, the PICD board voted to remove the dam,” Engle said. “Huron Pines is in the process of obtaining grant funding for the project.”

According to Engle, the Trout River Dam is a barrier to invasive sea lamprey. Controlling sea lamprey is necessary to protect the health of Great Lakes fish populations.

“However, the dam also prevents native and game fish species from accessing upstream habitat(s),” Engle said. “The community’s long tradition of fishing at the site is being strongly considered alongside the health of the river and other recreational opportunities at Herman Vogler Conservation Area.”

According to the DNR, the Trout River Dam project is just one that will share more than $1.1 million in Fisheries Habitat Grants, with an additional $250,000 from partnerships with the DNR.

“We’re excited to support our partner organizations in projects to create healthier lakes and streams with healthier fish populations, better habitat, and cleaner water,” Randy Claramunt, chief of the DNR Fisheries Division, said in the press release. “Our natural resources make Michigan an outdoor recreation destination, and these projects will provide long-lasting benefits to protect and enhance this appeal.”

The press release states that up to $1.8 million is usually awarded annually through Fisheries Habitat Grants; however, due to “budget shortfalls,” the DNR has instituted “cost-saving measures” that include reductions in hiring, travel, and other expenses.

According to the press release, the budget shortfalls are a result of declining revenue from fishing and hunting licenses.