GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE
ST. JOSEPH RIVER INVENTORY SURVEY (YEARS 2020 - 2022)
Funded by the USDA Forest Service GLRI Program, trained technicians from the St. Joseph County Conservation District conducted a comprehensive inventory survey of the entire St. Joseph River in 2020-2022. Over 7,000 georeferenced data points were mapped along the river’s mainstem, documenting invasive species, water quality trends, and other areas of interest. Survey kayaks were equipped with 360-degree GoPro video cameras and multiparameter water quality sensors. Preliminary data representations are featured below, including an observations map created by Douglas McLaughlin, and a virtual waterway tour developed by EarthViews, Inc.
Update: The District has secured additional funding through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) 2024 Watershed Council Support Program to advance the processing and analysis of datasets collected on the St. Joseph River mainstem. The District plans to release public data visualizations by September 2025.
Hillsdale, Michigan
ST. JOSEPH RIVER TRIBUTARY SURVEY (YEARS 2023 - 2025)
Awarded a second round of funding under the USDA Forest Service GLRI Program, specialized SJCCD technicians are currently conducting inventory surveys on select tributaries of the St. Joseph River, including the Portage, Prairie, Rocky, Elkhart, Dowagiac, and Paw Paw rivers. Expanding the scope of this survey allows for a more in-depth look at the overall health of the greater St. Joseph River Watershed. Survey kayaks are equipped with 360-degree GoPro video & time-lapse cameras, audio recorders, multiparameter water quality sensors, and bathymetric sonar mapping devices. Technicians are documenting location coordinates of key observations, such as the presence of invasive species, eroding riverbanks, wastewater discharge pipes, excessive algae growth, vertical retaining walls, high-quality habitats, etc.
Project Contact: Kaitlin Renehan // kaitlin.renehan@macd.org
Dowagiac River
MICORPS VOLUNTEER STREAM MONITORING PROGRAM
BUG BRIGADE STREAM MONITORING PROJECT
The MiCorps Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program supports volunteer training and aquatic macroinvertebrate data collection for the purpose of assessing regional water quality. The St. Joseph County Conservation District holds annual sampling events in the spring and fall, training community volunteers to conduct stream habitat assessments, collect and identify macroinvertebrates, and recognize findings as indicators of overall habitat health. It is the shared goal of MiCorps and SJCCD that partners throughout the Great Lakes region utilize publicly available stream assessment results featured on MiCorps Data Exchange to further the protection and management of critical water resources.
Check out our 'Events' page for updates regarding upcoming collection dates (typically held in May and October).
Project Contact: Kaitlin Renehan // kaitlin.renehan@macd.org
GREAT LAKES FISHERY TRUST
ST. JOSEPH RIVER WATERSHED ROAD-STREAM CROSSING ASSESSMENTS
The Great Lakes Fisheries Trust has awarded the St. Joseph County Conservation District (SJCCD) project funding to evaluate stream and culvert crossings throughout the St. Joseph River Watershed from 2023 to 2025. The project aims to gather data for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to identify sites that hinder fish passage, such as dams, undersized culverts, or areas with high flow rates. It will also provide culvert inventories for county road and drain commissions to highlight sites in need of repair or remediation.
Using ArcGIS and other mapping tools, SJCCD personnel have compiled a comprehensive list of road-stream crossing locations across select subwatershed areas including Prairie River, Coldwater River-Hog Creek, Dowagiac River, Portage River, Rocky River, and Christiana Creek (MI only). MDNR has provided a 10-page digital survey through the Survey123 app to assess infrastructure stability, bank erosion, fish passability, and other site conditions at each crossing.
MICORPS VOLUNTEER STREAM CLEANUP PROGRAM
Looking to help make a positive impact on our local environment? Join the District for stream cleanup events at Big Swan Creek, Prairie River, Nottawa Creek, and Portage River during the 2025 field season. Event dates announced early spring!
Project Contact:
Eric Pretzlav // eric.pretzlav@macd.org
Watershed project Partners
