Posted on April 3, 2018
By Colleen Kowalewski, The Voice
The battle to reclaim St. John’s Marsh from invasive species is set to continue this spring with a new project aimed at improving water flow to a nearly 300-acre section of the marsh.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has requested approval to construct a temporary road through St. John’s Marsh to improve access to parts of the marsh targeted for restoration as part of an ongoing wetlands improvement project.
The DNR-owned recreation area features wildlife refuge and hunting zones east of M-29 in Clay Township, north of the North Channel of the St. Clair River.
The proposed temporary haul road would measure 12 feet wide and 7,700 feet long and would facilitate dredging of ditches within the marsh.
“The purpose of the project is to improve the management ability for 295 acres of already impounded wetlands by ditch cleaning for improved water circulation and fish passage,” the application states. “This is a temporary feature designed to be located on sites in wetlands that are inundated with invasive phragmites and/or narrow leaved cattail, so impacts to native vegetation will be minimized.”
The road would be constructed of 3,200 cubic yards of clean fill or gravel from outside of the marsh and would follow existing dykes within the wetland as a travel route for hauling dredged materials to an upland site. The fill material would be removed when dredging is complete.
The move is part of an ongoing effort to reclaim St. John’s Marsh from invasive phragmites and restore the wetland habitat.
The MDNR has partnered with Ducks Unlimited to restore 627 acres of coastal wetland in the marsh. Funding for the project will come in part from a $600,000 grant Ducks Unlimited received under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act to improve and reclaim wetland habitat in Michigan and Ohio.
The dredging project would remove about 21,000 cubic yards of material from existing ditches in order to improve water circulation and allow the DNR to better manage water levels to support phragmites eradication efforts.
Phragmites australis, also known as common reed, is a perennial wetland grass that can grow up to 15 feet in height. While phragmites australis is native to Michigan, an invasive, non-native, variety of phragmites is becoming widespread and is threatening the ecological health of wetlands and the Great Lakes coastal shoreline, the Michigan Department of Environment Quality’s website states.
Invasive phragmites creates tall, dense stands which degrade wetlands and coastal areas by crowding out native plants and animals, blocking shoreline views and reducing access for swimming, fishing and hunting. It can also create fire hazards from dry plant material.
Methods of controlling invasive phragmites include an integrated pest management approach involving herbicide treatments, mechanical removal and annual maintenance. For large areas with dense stands of invasive phragmites, prescribed burning used after herbicide treatment can provide additional control and ecological benefits over mechanical removal.
Early detection is key to preventing large dense stands of invasive phragmites and is also more cost efficient, according to the MDEQ.
Public comments about the permit application are being accepted through Wednesday. Comments can be mailed to Eric J. Warda, Chief, Permit Evaluation Eastern Branch, Regulatory Office, Detroit District, Corps of Engineers, 477 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226-2550.
Comments can also be emailed to Patrick.S.O’Connor@usace.army.mil. Emailed comments must include a name and mailing address.
All comments should refer to file number LRE-2013-00828-10-S18.
Source: The Voice
