Friends of the Shiawassee River News

Kayak Raffe, get your tickets now!

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 15:49:24 GMT

2023 Kayak Raffle Information

Tickets on sale now!

Friends of the Shiawassee River 28th Annual River Cleanup

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:47:30 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River were founded in 1996 by a group of individuals who wanted to continue the work of Owosso (MI) resident, Jim Miner. Beginning in the 1970’s, Miner organized some of the first volunteer river cleanup events in Owosso. These events inspired a generation of river stewards, the formation of the Friends, and the Annual River Cleanup event.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River’s 28th Annual River Cleanup will again be held as a week-long event, from July 22-29. Last year, nearly 200 people participated in the River Cleanup event, and the Friends hope to increase participation and sections of the river cleaned to make the biggest possible impact. Volunteers clean in and along the river, on foot and in boats, and span over 60 miles of the Shiawassee River, in three counties. Last year, this cleanup effort removed 20 cubic yards of refuge from the river, as well as dozens of tires. Removing garbage pollution benefits not only the aquatic and terrestrial wildlife that rely on the river, but also improves the safety and aesthetic qualities of the river for recreationalists. Volunteers are able to select their group, date, time, and section of the river they would like to clean. You’re encouraged to register now through the Friends’ website, www.shiawasseeriver.org, under the Events tab.

The Shiawassee County Health Department Tire Collecting will take place in conjunction with the River Cleanup, on July 29, from 8am - 12pm (or until the trailer is full), at the Shiawassee County Road Commission, 701 W. Corunna Ave. Corunna, MI. River Cleanup participants retrieving tires from the river will receive information on how they can recycle the tires free of charge. Others can recycle auto tires for $2 (without rim) or $3 (with rim) and semi-truck tires for $5 (without rim) or $10 (with rim).

River Cleanup participants are urged to email photos of their cleanup activities to info@shiawasseeriver.org or send them to the Friends via Facebook Messenger, for the Friends’ Facebook page.

The Friends are thankful to their 2023 River Cleanup Event Sponsors. This project has been funded in part through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Nonpoint Source Program with additional event sponsorship provided by High Life Farms. In-kind sponsorship is provided by Waste Management and the Shiawassee County Health Department. Helping Hands sponsorship is provided by Chesaning Area Conservation Club, J&S Tire and Service, Saginaw County Parks & Recreation Commission, Village of Chesaning, and VMD & Associates. Additional support is provided by Chesaning Township and St. Peter Parish of Chesaning.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

Third Annual Shiawassee Triathlon (Shi-Tri) “A Wonderful Event!”

Thu, 25 May 2023 17:33:20 GMT

May 24, 2023 - OWOSSO, MI – The third annual Shiawassee Triathlon took place in Owosso and Corunna this past weekend, on Sunday, May 21, through the combined efforts of the Fitness Coliseum and Friends of the Shiawassee River. Thanks to the generous event sponsors, 275 individual participants, 29 relay teams, over 100 volunteers (many returning from last year), and all those who came down to cheer everyone on, the event was very successful! Participants ran from the Fitness Coliseum in downtown Owosso to McCurdy Park in Corunna, where they entered the water and paddled back toward Owosso. In the last leg of the event, triathletes exited the river on Jerome Avenue, near The Sideline Owosso (with the help of many enthusiastic volunteers) and continued to the biking portion in the streets south of Owosso - finishing the race where they started, at the Fitness Coliseum.

All 350 registration spaces were filled, and participants ranged in age from 13 to 77. The finishing times for the race ranged from 1:21:53 to 3:19:54, so various levels of experience and competitiveness were welcomed and appreciated. Racers traveled from cities all over Michigan, including Grand Rapids, Brighton, Royal Oak, and Au Gres (to name a few) and out of state participants traveled from Woodford, VA, Western Springs, IL, and New York, NY. The majority of race participants were local - residents of Owosso & Corunna, and many traveled from up and downstream, from Linden, Byron, Durand, Chesaning, etc. “It is incredible to see the vast local support for this event, in the form of both race participants and volunteers! It is exciting to have several participants travel from impressive distances to be part of the Shi-Tri as well. For those of us who work to organize the race, it is very rewarding to see how the race has grown year after year, and at FOSR we have great appreciation for Bri Marrah (Owner of Fitness Coliseum) for her work and vision to make this race possible!” said Friends of the Shiawassee Events and Communications Coordinator, Rebecca Huska.

Those sentiments were shared by event lead-organizer, Bri Marrah.

“This event brings me so much excitement and pride each year! The community participation and amazing feedback we get is just awesome and we already can’t wait to make it even bigger and better next year! My goal is for the Shi-Tri to be an event that people return to each year because they enjoy it so much, and for it to be truly beneficial for our community.”

The date for the Shi-Tri in 2024 will be Sunday, May 19, so mark your calendars!

The winners of the event were as follows (for a full list of participant times, visit https://www.racetecresults.com/Results.aspx?CId=16371&RId=6040 :

Female Overall

● 1st: Cadia Hofmann - 1:21:53 (see photo)

Male Overall

● 1st: Stephen Moelter - 1:25:18 (see photo)

Youth Age 17 and Under

● 1st: Charlie Agnew - 1:39:12

● 2nd: Nick Douchette 1:40:20

● 3rd: Kia Spiess - 1:46:38

● 4th: David Peterson - 2:03:57

Male Ages 18-29

● 1st: Jack Gosselin - 1:26:13

● 2nd: Mason Warner - 1:36:36

● 3rd: Zach Graham - 1:38:10

Female Ages 18-29

● 1st: Andrea Crawford - 1:49:53

● 2nd: Emily Vandewiele - 1:50:43

● 3rd: Jenna Schaller - 1:55:25

Male Ages 30-39

● 1st: Korey Sumbera - 1:27:58

● 2nd: Joseph Connaghan - 1:29:14

● 3rd: Jay Paquette - 1:33:46

Female Ages 30-39

● 1st: Kali Bayes - 1:42:09

● 2nd: Meghan Wilde - 1:45:17

● 3rd: Kelly Turek - 1:45:38

Male Ages 40-49

● 1st: Steven Sobak - 1:36:49

● 2nd: Josh Stark - 1:38:16

● 3rd: Jeffrey Jolley - 1:38:55

Female Ages 40-49

● 1st: Stacey Jenkinson - 1:47:20

● 2nd: Mary Thompson - 1:48:08

● 3rd: Annette Patterson - 1:43:32

Male Ages 50-59

● 1st: Greg Jenkinson - 1:33:13

● 2nd: Terry Zdania - 1:37:50

● 3rd: Steven Adams - 1:39:07

Female Ages 50-59

● 1st: Jennifer Zielinski - 1:41:17

● 2nd: Deb White - 1:48:49

● 3rd: Barb Richardson - 1:49:06

Male Ages 60+

● 1st: James Lake - 1:43:40

● 2nd: Lloyd Kendall - 1:48:18

● 3rd: Lance Omer - 1:51:53

Female Ages 60+

● 1st: Laura Myer - 1:48:40

● 2nd: Kimberly Kucish - 2:02:34

● 3rd: Jody Lindell - 2:05:00

Relays

● 1st: Team Norder - 1:33:04

● 2nd: Team White Flash - 1:38:45

● 3rd: Team Not Fast Just Furious - 1:41:32

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Young Owosso; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: RWI Manufacturing; Underwriting Sponsor: Woodworth Commercial; Swag Sponsor: Home Field Michigan Real Estate Consultants; Experience Sponsor: Shiawassee Health & Wellness; Fit & Fun Sponsor: Parson/Dedic Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo; Fuel Sponsor: Byk-Rak LLC; the Shi-CHAMP Sponsors: Crest Marine LLC, Innovative Community Solutions, Merit Laboratories, Inc., REMAX of Owosso, Team One Credit Union; and the Shi-TRIBE Sponsors: Advanced Eyecare, American Recycling Center, Inc., Great Lakes Family of Companies, Memorial Healthcare, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership.

FRIENDS OF THE SHIAWASSEE RIVER WELCOME NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:54:24 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is pleased to announce Liz Roxberry as its new Executive Director, effective April 1^st, 2023.

“The Friends is very excited for Liz to start with us! Our board wants to continue to be viewed as a trusted resource in this community. This includes expanding our already great programs, and that meant hiring an Executive Director with an extensive nonprofit background who understands our mission. Liz is the perfect fit, and we couldn’t be happier she chose to come work with the Friends of the Shiawassee River. We are so looking forward to her expertise moving this organization forward and continuing to do amazing things for the Shiawassee River. ” – Nick Terek, FOSR Board President/CEO

Liz joins the Friends after having served the Fenner Conservancy/Fenner Nature Center in Lansing for the past ten years – nine of those as its executive director. Although she remains committed to supporting Fenner’s continued success in Lansing, her life has led her to the Owosso area. Liz owns a small farm in Henderson, complete with a mini pig named Ben and she is the mother of one strong, smart, and kind six-year-old, Rilyn. Owosso has become her home and it is also a community that she wishes to be of service to.

Liz’s notable career highlights include: Congressional recognition for the facilitation of green infrastructure and non-typical application of onsite wastewater systems at the Fenner Nature Center. Membership in the Hunter Heritage Workgroup of the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources Commission that led to the passing of House Bill 4371 addressing the removal of barriers to hunting, trapping, and fishing for youth under 12. Spearheaded the creation of the Susan and Jack Davis Nature Pavilion - a $568,000 capital campaign resulting in increased organizational mission reach and diversification of sustainable revenue streams for the non-profit through rentals and event space.

Liz brings with her over twenty years of experience in nonprofit management, conservation, and environmental education. In addition to her work at the Fenner Conservancy, she has worked for the Michigan United Conservation Clubs as its Cedar Lake Outdoor Center Director and for Pheasants Forever as its Statewide Education Coordinator. The mission of the Friends of the Shiawassee River is to Care, by maintaining and improving the health of the river; Share, by enhancing the community's appreciation and knowledge of the river; and Enjoy, by increasing recreational access and responsible use of the river. Liz’s experience, passion for the environment and nonprofit management experience are certain to elevate not only the work of the Friends but will also broaden its outcomes and impact.

2022 – A YEAR IN REVIEW

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 19:27:22 GMT

2022 has been a year of challenges and of possibilities. Having committed to hiring its first, full-time executive director in 2021, the Friends were very excited about the fresh ideas and organizational improvements our new director would bring. Sadly, we discovered that the new hire wasn’t quite the right fit. After careful consideration, the board elected to engage an interim director, whose role is to prepare the organization for a successful hire. As this task involves both thoughtful retrospective of the Friends current culture, as well as clarity over a desired future state, the board and staff are actively engaged in a strategic planning process to guide the organization for the next 3-5 years. This process included over 20 interviews with key stakeholders and has provided us with some excellent data from which to design our plan going forward.

The following are highlights and lowlights of 2022:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

We accepted the resignation of Kirk Riley in March. Patrice Martin of Innovative Community Solutions and formerly of Nonprofit Network signed on as our Interim Director. Our expectation is that we will begin the recruiting process for our new, full-time director in December, and welcome them aboard in January. Patrice will likely work with the new hire for a week or so to share her observations, the strategic plan and a starter list of immediate tasks.

ANNUAL MEETING

Our annual meeting was held in March this year. Although the meeting was initially planned for in-person, a dramatic rise in COVID numbers compelled the decision to host the meeting via Zoom. It is our intention to return to an in-person annual meeting for 2023.

RIVER CLEAN-UP

The Friends was founded to continue the river clean-up and stewardship activities of Jim Miner. Our annual River Clean-up is a legacy program that continues to draw community volunteers throughout the watershed, and interest in the work of the Friends. Our COVID-inspired process of signing up volunteer teams to clean specific, self-selected stretches of the river continues. We have discovered that volunteers appreciate the flexibility of a weeklong event, and our numbers reflect that appreciation. We typically had around 80 volunteers prior to changing the format of our river cleanup to a weeklong event. In 2020, our River Clean-up attracted 137 volunteers, with over 50 miles of the river cleaned. 2021 achieved 192 volunteers and 50 miles of the river cleaned. In 2022, our volunteers numbered 142, with over 60 miles of river cleaned.

Thanks in part to our GLISA grant, we held a celebratory luncheon for our volunteers, with featured speaker Naim Edwards. Naim Edwards is the director of the Michigan State University - Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning, and Innovation (DPFLI). His presentation explored ways to manage soil to enhance water quality and address climate change. Naim discussed how tillage and what we decide to grow in soil can be leveraged to restore ecosystems and communities. He highlighted the benefits of edible landscapes, food forests, and actions we can take to take better care of the Earth.

OWOSSO-CORUNNA LABOR DAY BRIDGE WALK

Our second year of coordinating the Owosso-Corunna Labor Day Bridge Walk brought out 144 participants. People of all ages and abilities walked the James Miner River Trail, and many enjoyed the pancake breakfast hosted by retiring Corunna mayor, Chuck Kerridge.

WINE WITH FRIENDS

This year’s Wine with Friends event was held at the Owosso Country Club in their banquet room and on the outdoor patio. Pat Carmody provided live music and our generous donors and sponsors gave us the opportunity to host a fabulous event. Thanks to our wonderful members and supporters we had 109 attendees in 2022 and raised just over $13,000. In 2021, we had 100 attendees and raised just over $8,000.

SHI-TRI

Our second Shi-Tri was another rousing success, hitting our target of 250 registrants, engaging over 100 volunteers, and raising just over $10,000 for the Friends. Participants have nothing but praise for the event, skilled competitors and recreational participants as well! Our out-of-town participation included teams from Chicago and Wisconsin – all of whom have promised to return. Our 2023 Shi-Tri will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Our goal is 350 participants, and we are confident we will reach it.

FREE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

In keeping with our goal of increasing responsible use of the river, the Friends hosted several free, public engagement events during 2022. These included a Picnic and Paddle in collaboration with DeVries and the Shiawassee River National Water Trail Coalition, Yoga by the River with Cheryl Stevenson and our annual Polar Paddle in partnership with the Shiawassee County YMCA’s Camp Shiawassee.

STREAM TEAM

During this fall’s Stream Team water sampling events, all 12 of our previous sites were monitored this year as well as an additional 13th site. We added a tributary site in Vernon as we seek to expand our data collection. In total, we had 161 stream team volunteers for the year; 153 of them were from the October monitoring alone. We were only able to monitor one site in the spring due to high river levels.

We provided streamside education to six school groups throughout the watershed in 2022, thanks in part to a generous financial contribution from our regional Michigan Science-Technology-Engineering-Math program.

Thanks to our EGLE SMART Watershed Grant, we upgraded our water quality monitoring Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) and received approval from EGLE. Prior QAPP’s were designed to meet the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCORP) standard.

SHIATOWN DAM REMOVAL AND COUNTY PARKS IMPROVEMENTS

The Friends assisted Shiawassee County with a reforestation effort at the Shiatown Parks. This included a $10,000 contribution for the purchase of trees and shrubs and significant volunteer hours for planting. Planting began in the fall of 2021 and was completed in the spring of 2022. On April 29^th, the Friends participated in a celebration of the successful completion of the Shiatown Dam Removal and River Restoration project. Other participants included representatives from our local county and city governments, Saginaw Bay WIN, EGLE and the State Land Bank. To read the news release, click here: https://shiawasseeriver.org/News/13022494

CURWOOD CASTLE PARK CANOE/KAYAK LAUNCH PROJECT

Thanks in part to generous funding from The Conservation Fund and the 12 foundations and corporations that make up the Funders Network of the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), the Friends partnered with the City of Owosso to design and install a kayak/canoe launch adjacent to Curwood Castle Park. This launch is one of 28 sites along the 88-mile Shiawassee River National Water Trail and will serve to support water recreation and downtown Owosso businesses! The site will include a boat chute, stairs and a bench. Future enhancements will feature a boat locker system. A ribbon-cutting is planned for the spring of 2023.

EGLE SMART WATERSHED GRANT

The Friends are the recipient of a watershed council grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Grant activities include expanding our Stream Team monitoring, engaging in outreach and education on non-point source pollution and the various partners and organizations engaging in mitigation efforts throughout the county. We will also be engaging in some facility upgrades at our Corunna offices.

Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA)

In 2019, the Friends were the recipient of a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the federal agency that administers the National Weather Service, to engage the Friends and our partners in understanding climate change in our watershed. Our partners are the University of Michigan and Michigan State University working together on the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA) project. They have provided us data about weather history in our region to help us understand how the climate is changing.

The Friends reached out to members, partners, and other stakeholders in the watershed to understand their perspectives and concerns about climate change. What can both personal experiences and science tell us about climate and its impact on the Shiawassee? The result of these activities is a five-part video series that introduces viewers to the project and the data, features interviews with local stakeholders from the recreation, agricultural and municipal government sectors and ends with a call-to-action that includes information and resources on adaptation and mitigation. These videos and related resources will be featured on our new Climate Awareness page on our website.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

The Friends is in the process of updating its 3-5 year strategic plan. The board of the Friends passed a resolution during its September board meeting affirming its desire to transition the organization from a volunteer-led to a staff-driven organization. Since its inception in 1996, the Friends has relied on the vast expertise and skill-sets of its founders and board members to accomplish its mission to Care for, Share and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The organization finds itself at a point in its lifecycle where it would prefer a more structured approach to its work, now and into the future. The organization seeks to secure a full-time executive director who will dedicate themselves to moving the Friends forward. A 3-5 year strategic plan will help the board to clarify its vision for the future, clarify and define the broad and continuous goals it wishes to achieve, how it will measure success and how it might adapt its organizational structure in support of the plan.

MDHHS Eat Safe Fish Guide

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 19:27:11 GMT

The link below is great resource for those who love to fish in Michigan rivers. Check page 67 to see which Shiawassee River fish you can safely eat and how often.

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Folder2/Folder70/Folder1/Folder170/MDCH_EAT_SAFE_FISH_GUIDE_-_SOUTHEAST_MI_WEB.pdf?rev=1226fe9fe87c43d0b24ba48ee5423b88

Second Annual Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” A Huge Success

Wed, 25 May 2022 14:32:27 GMT

May 25, 2022 - OWOSSO, MI – The second annual Shiawassee Triathlon took place in Owosso and Corunna last weekend, May 22, through the combined efforts of the Fitness Coliseum and Friends of the Shiawassee River. Thanks to the generous event sponsors, 212 individual participants, 17 relay teams, over 100 volunteers (more than half being repeat volunteers from last year), and all those who came down to cheer everyone on, the event was a great success! Participants ran from the Fitness Coliseum in downtown Owosso to McCurdy Park in Corunna, where they entered the water and paddled back toward Owosso. In the last leg of the event, triathletes exited the river on Jerome Avenue, near the NCG movie theater (with the help of many enthusiastic volunteers) and continued to the biking portion in the streets south of Owosso - finishing the race where they started, at the Fitness Coliseum.

A total of 233 people participated in the race, ranging in age from 12 to 76. Racers traveled from cities all over Michigan, including Bay City, Royal Oak, Saugatuck and Grand Rapids (to name a few) and out of state participants traveled from Brecksville, OH, Chicago, IL, Chattanooga, TN, and Depew, NY. The finishing times for the race ranged from 1:23:54 to 3:06:16, so various levels of experience and competitiveness were welcomed and appreciated.

The winners of the event were as follows (for a full list of participant times, visit https://www.athlinks.com/event/330784/results/Event/1000499/Course/2248656/Results):

Male Overall

● First Place - Stephen Moelter with a time of 1:23:54 (see photo)

Female Overall

● Kali Bayes of Fort Gratiot, MI - 1:34:58 (see photo)

Youth M/F Age Group (ages 17 and younger)

● First Place - Josie Jenkinson of Corunna, MI - 1:36:00

● Second Place - Brady Robishaw of St. Charles, MI - 1:39:03

● Third Place - David Peterson of Owosso, MI - 1:53:02

Male Age Group (ages 18-54)

● First Place - David Madrigal II of Durand, MI - 1:26:08

● Second Place - Ty Hart of Corunna, MI - 1:27:42

● Third Place - Greg Jenkinson of Corunna, MI - 1:28:12

Female Age Group (ages 18-54)

● First Place - Jennifer Zielinski of Essexville, MI - 1:40:37

● Second Place - Kelly Turek of Owosso, MI - 1:41:48

● Third Place - Jamie Madrigal of Mt. Pleasant, MI - 1:42:42

Masters M/F Age Group (ages 55 and older)

● First Place - Derrick Fries of Clarkston, MI - 1:28:06

● Second Place - Daniel Durany of Owosso, MI - 1:42:15

● Third Place - Laura Meyer of Owosso, MI - 1:44:05

Relay

● First Place - Josh’s 50 Year Revival - 1:39:48

● Second Place - Young Olds of Owosso - 1:44:41

● Third Place - Ron & The Schlaakers - 1:48:24

The date for the Shi-Tri in 2023 will be Sunday, May 21, so mark your calendars!

“We are so happy with our second year of the event!” said Brianna Carroll, owner/operator of Fitness Coliseum. “We made some tweaks to the race from last year that allowed things to run more smoothly. We had over 100 more participants on the course this year, and those participants came from farther and wider than last year! I can’t wait to continue improving and growing the event. The future of the Shi-Tri is looking great!”

Those sentiments were echoed by the co-host of the event, the Friends of the Shiawassee River.

"The Friends are thrilled that we were able to work with Brianna and Fitness Coliseum again this year tofacilitate this fun and exciting community event," said Rebecca Huska, Friends of the Shiawassee River'sEvents & Communications Coordinator. “Many thanks to all those who planned, participated, andvolunteered to make the second annual Shi-Tri a success. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!"

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Memorial Hospital; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: RWI Manufacturing; Ride Sponsor: Byk-Rak; Underwriting Sponsor: Woodworth Commercial; Experience Sponsor: Shiawassee Health & Wellness; Finish Line Sponsor: Crest Marine; Design Sponsor: Darker Mfg. Co.; the Shi~CHAMP Sponsors: Parson/Niles Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo, REMAX of Owosso, Team One Credit Union, Advanced Eye Care and Contact Lens Center; and the Shi~TRIBE Sponsors: American Recycling Center, Inc., Azee Printing Solutions, DayStarr Communications, Great Lakes Fusion, Hat Trick Tents & Events, Merit Laboratories, Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership, Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition, Weather Vane Roofing.

The Fitness Coliseum is a one-stop shop for fitness and wellness – focusing on providing fun, effective, and safe fitness classes to people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. They pride themselves on creating a supportive environment that lifts people up and encourages them to be the best they can be.

Second Annual Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi-Tri” on May 22, 2022

Wed, 04 May 2022 14:30:21 GMT

May 4, 2022 - OWOSSO, MI – The second ever Shiawassee Triathlon will take place on May 22, 2022, through the combined efforts of the Fitness Coliseum and Friends of the Shiawassee River. This year, registration will be capped at 250 participants, as opposed to 150 participants last year. There are only two participant spots available currently, but there are plenty of volunteer opportunities still available. “This event will really be made by the volunteers! Together we will be able to make it run smoothly and be fun for all involved. The best part about volunteering is that even if you aren’t a triathlete you still get to play a role in this amazing community day!” said Brianna Carroll, owner of the Fitness Coliseum.

An event like this relies on the efforts of over 100 volunteers – both the day of the event and the day before. So, even if you don’t fancy yourself as an athlete or even an out-of-doors enthusiast, there are plenty of ways to jump in and help. And all who help out will get a volunteer t-shirt as well. To register as a volunteer, visit

https://runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/MI/Owosso/TheShiTri.

The Shi~Tri is a Run/Paddle/Bike Triathlon beginning and ending in Downtown Owosso along the Shiawassee River. Participants begin with a 3.3-mile run/walk from the Fitness Coliseum

(210 S Water Street, Owosso, MI) to McCurdy Park in Corunna along the James Miner Trail. From there, the triathletes will launch their kayaks or canoes into the river, paddle back 3.5 miles toward Owosso, and exit the river just before the intersection of S. Water and Washington Streets, behind the Huntington drive-thru Bank. The third leg of the event will have participants biking a 9-mile loop through Owosso’s city streets and country roads back to the triathlon’s starting point (Fitness Coliseum).

The race will start at 8am at the Fitness Coliseum parking lot. The awards ceremony will begin at approximately 12:30pm (also at the parking lot of the Fitness Coliseum) with awards for the following: Men’s Individual (18-54 y/o), Women’s Individual (18-54 y/o), Masters (55+, Male and Female Combined), Youth (<18, Male & Female Combined), Relay Team (All ages, All Relays Combined). There will also be one overall male award and overall female award.

Members of the community are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun! Those who would like to watch the race may watch from Downtown Owosso, McCurdy Park, or any other point along the route. There is no limit to the number of spectators who would like to see this exciting event, so bring your cowbells and be ready to cheer on the racers! Throughout the day, there will be vendors (including the new Bangin’ Bowls restaurant, that will operate out of the Fitness Coliseum building) and information tables in the Fitness Coliseum parking lot. And, as a special treat, the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce will have a mimosa tent there as well! Public parking for the start/finish site will be in the municipal parking lot near NCG Cinema.

Further details on the whole event may be found at the Shi-Tri website at www.shi-tri.com.

###

The Fitness Coliseum is a one-stop shop for fitness and wellness – focusing on providing fun, effective, and safe fitness classes to people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. They pride themselves on creating a supportive environment that lifts people up and encourages them to be the best they can be.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

Shiatown Dam Removal Project Completion Commemoration Ceremony April 29, 2022

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 14:50:20 GMT

On April 29, 2022, Arbor Day, from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. a commemoration ceremony will be held at Shiatown Park to celebrate the completion of the Shiatown Dam Removal Project that began back in 2003. Speakers and those present will include representatives of the many parties involved throughout this process, including the Friends of the Shiawassee River, the State of Michigan, Saginaw Bay WIN, and Shiawassee County Representatives. The general public is invited to attend this ceremony.

In 2003, the Friends of the Shiawassee River (FOSR) conducted a dam removal study with the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources. The reservoir behind the dam had filled in with silt over 100 years and was no longer a body of water fit for recreational use or generation of hydroelectric power. The scour pit below the downstream apron of the dam was 18 feet deep and with about a 60 foot diameter. The waters below the apron were characterized with unyielding roiling backwash that had trapped too many people, resulting in drownings. Public safety was an influential factor in the removal decision.

The dam had reverted to the Michigan Land Bank (the dam owner) for back taxes and was considered an unsafe structure by the State Dam Safety Division. The Land Bank and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources enlisted the FOSR to engage the local community and search out grant funding for a potential project.

In 2012 a $30,000 feasibility study, including partial reservoir drawdown and sediment analysis, was conducted with grant and technical assistance from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Fisheries. In 2013 MDNR awarded a $162,700 grant for dam

removal. This was supplemented by a $62,500 grant from Saginaw Bay WIN. FOSR then conducted stakeholder and community meetings in Bancroft, with the assistance of the Shiawassee Township Supervisor, to evaluate options and settle on a final design concept. This added upstream channel and floodplain restoration and aquatic habitat enhancements to the project scope. The WIN “match” funding allowed attainment of additional MDNR grant funding: including a $365,000 aquatic habitat grant in 2015 and a $108,000 supplemental dam management grant awarded in 2017.

Plans and specifications were prepared by GEI Consultants with several iterations and extensive negotiations over 2 years to obtain the required Michigan Department of Environmental Quality permit within budget.

In 2020 the dam removal and stream and floodplain restoration were completed by M.J. VanDamme, Inc. from Gwinn, Michigan. The total project cost was in excess of $730,000 with $635,700 in MDNR grants, $62,500 from Saginaw Bay WIN and over $35,000 in local volunteer support. This does not include the reforestation and Park enhancements, such as the small boat launch and expanded parking facility needed for the increased paddling on the now popular river stretch from Geeck Rd Park to Shiatown.

The river now flows briskly and freely through Shiatown and visibly demonstrates why early settlers grasped the significance of water power for sawmills and grist mills. The contractor’s final act was to seed a two-acre area to grasses, a stable yet barren landscape that the Shiawassee County Parks and Recreation Commission decided to reforest. It was to be returned to the forest that hadn’t been at that

location since 1840, when Shiatown was a busy settlement which included a hotel, stores, and a post office. That project is to be completed on April 23, 2022, the day after Earth Day, with tree planting assistance from many parties, headed by the County Buildings and Grounds Department.

The 20-year history of the deconstruction of this dam is a testimonial to persistence, coordination, and dedication from key individuals, engineers, private contractors and agencies. With a free flowing river, the macroinvertebrates (the base of the food chain for fisheries) and fish movements are unimpeded, as are the movements of fishers and paddlers. When a dam and reservoir lose relevance and compromise the valued character of a natural area, the actions of involved people, and strong general public support, effect positive change. This is a commendable story for a credible Midwest river and is being replicated all around our water wonderland that is Michigan.

SHIATOWN DAM RESTORATION REFORESTATION PROJECT

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 18:02:48 GMT

The Shiawassee County Parks and Recreation Commission has announced its forthcoming project to reforest the two-acre area of the Shiatown Dam removal deconstruction site in Shiatown County Park. Two planting days have been organized, the first on October 16^th and the second in the spring when certain species of trees must await ground removal for transplanting.

In all 90 trees and 90 shrubs will be planted streamside and within 200 feet of the Shiawassee River. Mr. Jeff Tuller, Registered Forester and Phil Hathaway, volunteer project coordinator, prepared the plan that will involve 18 different tree species that promotes diversity for the new forest and recognition of a variety of adaptable plant zones. Volunteers, Parks Commissioners and County staff will comprise the 40-person work crew. Equipment and operators are donated. A five-year watering plan, tree staking and fence guards are included in the long term maintenance of the trees until they become established naturally.

Project funding at $32,000 is from three sources at nearly equal amounts: Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), the Friends of the Shiawassee River (FOSR), and the Shiawassee County Waste Management Fund. The Friends contribution is a result of the revenues earned from Michigan’s Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Department in its role as overseer of the dam removal. All funds are from sources other than local tax dollars and recognize the need to plant trees especially in these times. Shiatown County Park offers a venue for leading the cause of applying natural climate solutions.

“John Plowman, County Commission and Parks Commission member, states that, “The role of trees and selected shrubs greatly benefit habitat restoration, riverside erosion control, carbon neutrality, park-like shaded settings, wildlife benefits, and air quality.” Larry Johnson, also a Parks Commissioner adds, “There hasn’t been a forest here since the first dam was built in 1840. With trees averaging two inch diameter trunk size at the outset, this woodlot will have a head start in restoring the barren construction zone riverside area to its natural state.”

Some volunteer positions for the projected 3-hour work session are still available for individuals who are capable and inclined to do landscaping work. All of the heavy lifting will be accomplished with mechanical equipment. Interested persons may contact Phil Hathaway at philhath@gmail.com.

More sturgeon to be released into Saginaw Bay Watershed during public events on Aug. 20

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 15:47:42 GMT

Local, state, and federal partners invite the public to a Lake sturgeon release celebration on Aug. 20, 2021, in the Saginaw Bay Watershed. Releases will reintroduce +100 hatchery-raised sturgeon into each tributary of the Saginaw Bay Watershed (Cass, Flint, Shiawassee, and Tittabawassee rivers). Short presentations may be made at three of the events by local partners.

The schedule includes:

The noon Shiawassee River release will take place at Cole Park in Chesaning, MI, and will be hosted by the Friends of the Shiawassee River. For more information, contact Sarah Baker at sbaker@shiawasseeriver.org.
The 2 p.m. Cass River release is at the parking lot at Rosstal Street and Gunzenhausen Street in Frankenmuth, MI, and will be hosted by the City of Frankenmuth. For more information, contact Daren Kaschinske at dkaschinske@frankenmuthcity.com.
The 2 p.m. Flint River release is at the Paddlers’ Landings (Mott Park Recreation Area) in Flint, MI, and will be hosted by the Flint River Watershed Coalition. For more information, contact Sarah Scheitler at sscheitler@flintriver.org.

The August 2021 sturgeon release events are supported by a variety of partners including City of Frankenmuth, Chippewa Nature Center, Flint River Watershed Coalition, Friends of the Shiawassee River, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, MSU Extension, Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network, Sturgeon for Tomorrow – Black Lake Chapter, The Conservation Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and more.

Learn more about the lake sturgeon restoration efforts on the Saginaw Bay Sturgeon website (www.saginawbaysturgeon.org).

GENERAL RELEASE EVENT QUESTIONS, CONTACT

Meaghan Gass, Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator, gassmeag@msu.edu, (989) 895-4026 ext. 5

Friends of the Shiawassee River Announces New Executive Director

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:14:28 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River has selected Kirk Riley as its next executive director. Riley will succeed Lorraine Austin, who is retiring at the end of June, after many years of service with the Friends and, collectively, over four years leading the organization.

Riley brings more than 20 years of experience to the Friends, most recently as executive director of ITEC-Lansing and deputy director of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs. He has degrees in developmental biology and resource economics from Michigan State University, and brings with him skills in nonprofit operations and fundraising.

“I am excited at the opportunity to join with the many Friends (and friends) of the Shiawassee River – staff, board members, volunteers, and the entire community – in protecting the river and engaging in projects that support the health of the Shiawassee River watershed,” said Riley. “The Friends serves as a rallying point for this area, hosting river cleanups, building awareness of the threats to the watershed, and offering recreational opportunities. It is an honor to help lead this important work in a time of energizing organizational growth.”

Austin’s announcement that she would be retiring was made back in February, primarily due to the need for a full-time executive director to orchestrate the many projects in which the organization is involved.

“I have truly loved my work with the Friends and will miss so many people and experiences,” said Austin. “However, as a part-time employee, I realized that with the many new opportunities on the horizon, as well as our abundance of on-going programs, we really needed someone who was able to dedicate more hours to enable the Friends grow and prosper. We were lucky enough to find someone like Kirk with the experience and drive to move us forward.”

Friends’ board president, Nick Tereck, echoes Austin’s thoughts.

“We are very sad to see Lorraine go, as she has championed the mission of the Friends for quite some time,” said Tereck. “Her passion and dedication for this organization is unparalleled and she will be missed. Lorraine has taken the Friends of the Shiawassee from an organization that was doing great work needing only part-time staff, to growing an organization so robust that it requires full-time leadership and management. She retires now, leaving a legacy to be proud of.”

“Kirk is a positive and energetic individual,” Tereck continued. “His warmth, collegial style, practical approach to problem solving, and passion for our work is impressive. The board is excited to work with Kirk and is confident that the Friends will be well positioned to thrive in the years to come under his guidance.”

As executive director, Riley will work to ensure the organization can continue to serve as a trusted resource for all things related to the river. One of his first acts as director will be to oversee the Friends’ annual River Cleanup scheduled for July 24^th – 31^st – the longest running event in the organization’s history. Individuals and groups can register to clean a section of the river of their choosing any day during the week-long timespan. Over 150 volunteers participated in the event in 2020.

The most up-to-date information on this and other Friends’ endeavors may be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FOSRiver/ or website at www.shiawasseeriver.org.

Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” - A Huge Success

Thu, 27 May 2021 15:59:39 GMT

The first ever Shiawassee Triathlon took place in Owosso and Corunna last weekend, May 23rd, through the combined efforts of the Fitness Coliseum and Friends of the Shiawassee River. Thanks to the generous event sponsors, 136 race participants, almost 100 volunteers, and all those who came down to cheer everyone on, the event was a joyous occasion and a great success! Participants ran from the new location of the Fitness Coliseum (210 S. Water Street) in downtown Owosso to McCurdy Park in Corunna, where they used the new kayak launch to enter the water and paddle back toward Owosso. In the last leg of the event, triathletes exited the river on Jerome Avenue, near the NCG movie theater (with the help of many enthusiastic volunteers) and continued to the biking portion in the streets south of Owosso - finishing the race where they started, at the Fitness Coliseum.

A total of 136 people participated in the race, ranging in age from 11 to 75. Racers traveled from cities all over Michigan, including Oxford, Brighton, Saugatuck and Grand Rapids (to name a few) and from as far away as Chattanooga, Tennessee. The finishing times for the race ranged from 1:35:00 to 3:40:00, so various levels of experience and competitiveness were welcomed and appreciated.

The winners of the event were as follows (for a full list of participant times, visit https://www.athlinks.com/event/330784/results/Event/905689/Results):

Overall Winners

First Place - Derrick Fries, of Clarkston, MI, with a time of 1:35:00 (see photo)
Second Place - Correy Ewald of Owosso, MI - 1:43:36
Third Place - Gregory Osmer of Owosso, MI - 1:43:49

Female Overall Winner

Brittany Johnson of Gowen, MI - 1:47:59

Youth M/F Age Group (ages 17 and younger)

First Place - Jameson Baker of Dimondale, MI - 2:38:31
Second Place - Madeline Baker of Dimondale, MI - 2:52:27
Third Place - David Peterson of Owosso, MI - 2:56:47

Male Age Group (ages 18-54)

First Place - Correy Ewald
Second Place - Gregory Osmer
Third Place - Cory Brant of Brighton, MI - 1:44:03

Female Age Group (ages 18-54)

First Place - Lisa Janego of Corunna, MI - 1:54:06
Second Place - Brandess Wallace of Williamston, MI - 1:56:16
Third Place - Tanya Miller of Owosso, MI - 2:01:41

Masters M/F Age Group (ages 55 and older)

First Place - Daniel Durany of Owosso, MI - 1:54:06
Second Place - Lance Omer of Owosso, MI - 1:54:53
Third Place - Laura Meyer of Owosso, MI - 2:00:18

Relay

First Place - Weather Vane Roofing - 1:51:12
Second Place - Advanced Eyecare - 2:13:35

67 year old Derrick Fries, the first place winner, has participated in hundreds of triathlons and is a retired USA Cycle Race Director. “The first annual Shi-Tri was a huge success, extremely well organized, and had tons of wonderful volunteers,” said Fries. “As a competitor, the run course was smooth and beautiful. The kayak leg required lots of strategy with the low water level, but was surrounded with much wildlife and scenery. I greatly enjoyed the bike course, with its rolling hills and the mostly rural roads. Due to the design of the course and the unique order of events, this race is one of my most favorite events ever!” Fries added he most certainly will participate in the Shi-Tri event next year, and is “already looking forward to it”.

The proposed date for the Shi-Tri 2022 is Sunday, May 22nd.

“We look forward to bringing the event back bigger and better next year!” said Brianna Carroll, owner/operator of the Fitness Coliseum. “Triathletes and volunteers alike experienced a unique event in a vibrant community this past Sunday. I could not be happier about how everything turned out. There was a major sense of community and fun in the air all day. It was truly amazing to hear people say they were already looking forward to next year!”

Those sentiments were echoed by the co-host of the event, the Friends of the Shiawassee River."The Friends are truly proud to help put on this first-time event," said Lorraine Austin, Friends of the Shiawassee River's Executive Director. "The proceeds from the endeavor will be split between the Friends and the Fitness Coliseum. The dollars headed our way will go toward improvements to help everyone enjoy our treasured Shiawassee. Our gratitude to all who worked so hard to make this dream a reality."

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Memorial Hospital; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: Great Lakes Fusion; Ride Sponsor: Byk-Rak; Underwriting Sponsor: Shiawassee County Convention & Visitors Bureau; Prize Design Sponsor: Darker Mfg. Co.; and the Shi~Tribe Sponsors: Advanced Eye Care, American Recycling Center, Inc., American Speedy Print, DayStarr Communications, Feighner Docks, Hankerd Sportswear, Merit Laboratories, Inc., Qdoba, RE/MAX of Owosso, RWI Mfg., and Weather Vane Roofing.

First-Ever Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” on Sunday, May 23rd

Tue, 18 May 2021 14:07:55 GMT

The Fitness Coliseum in Owosso and the Friends of the Shiawassee River are kicking off the first-ever Shiawassee Triathlon (Shi~Tri) this Sunday, May 23, 2021 – and it’s going to be a big deal! The mission of the Shi~Tri is to promote community fitness and to support the Friends of the Shiawassee River. Proceeds from this year’s event will go toward improvements to help everyone care, share, and enjoy our treasured Shiawassee River.

This event, which had originally been planned for May of 2020, had to be postponed to 2021 due to safety reasons associated with Covid-19. Details on the whole event may be found at the Shi-Tri website at www.shi-tri.com.

The Shi~Tri is a Run/Paddle/Bike Triathlon beginning and ending in Downtown Owosso along the Shiawassee River. Participants begin with a 3.3-mile run/walk from the new location of the Fitness Coliseum (210 S Water Street, Owosso, MI - formerly Trust Thermal) to McCurdy Park in Corunna along the James Miner Trail. From there, the triathletes will launch their kayaks or canoes into the river, paddle back 3.5 miles toward Owosso, and exit the river just before the intersection of S. Water and Washington Streets, behind the TCF drive-thru Bank. The third leg of the event will have participants biking a 9-mile loop through Owosso’s city streets and country roads back to the triathlon’s starting point (new Fitness Coliseum).

The run/start line will open at 8:50am, at which time the first group of runners will report to the parking lot of the Fitness Coliseum. Runners will be assigned a staggered start time. This is just one of the many safety precautions related to Covid-19. Since each registrant will be timed individually, the staggered start will not interfere with accurate timing and placement of each participant’s performance. The awards ceremony will begin at 3:00pm (also at the parking lot of the Fitness Coliseum) with awards for the following: Men’s Individual (18y/o+), Women’s Individual (18y/o+), Masters (55+, Male and Female Combined), Youth (<18, Male & Female Combined), Relay Team (All ages, All Relays Combined). There will also be one overall male award and overall female award.

Those who would like to watch the race may line up at any point along the route. Throughout the day, there will be vendors and information tables in the Fitness Coliseum parking lot. And, as a special treat, the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce will have a mimosa tent there as well! Public parking for the start/finish site will be in the municipal parking lot near NCG Cinema.

There is no limit to the number of spectators who would like to see this exciting new event. Registration for triathletes was capped at 150 participants and is full, however there are still volunteer opportunities available.

“This event will really be made by the volunteers! Together we will be able to make it run smoothly and be fun for all involved. The best part about volunteering is that even if you aren’t a triathlete you still get to play a role in this amazing community day!” said Brianna Carroll, owner of the Fitness Coliseum.

“The Shi~Tri will truly be a spectacular event for the Friends’ organization and our community,” said Lorraine Austin, Executive Director of the Friends of the Shiawassee RIver. “If you haven’t signed up to help yet, there are a wide variety of duties on both Saturday and Sunday – some lasting a few hours, and some all-day tasks. It’s a family-friendly activity – so we encourage families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and everyone to register together!”

To register as a volunteer, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/MI/Owosso/TheShiTri.

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Memorial Hospital; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: Great Lakes Fusion; Ride Sponsor: Byk-Rak; Underwriting Sponsor: Shiawassee County Convention & Visitors Bureau; Prize Design Sponsor: Darker Mfg. Co.; and the Shi~Tribe Sponsors: Advanced Eye Care, American Recycling Center, Inc., American Speedy Print, DayStarr Communications, Feighner Docks, Hankerd Sportswear, Merit Laboratories, Inc., Qdoba, RE/MAX of Owosso, RWI Mfg., and Weather Vane Roofing.

Rebecca Huska Joins Friends’ Staff

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 14:53:55 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is proud to announce the most recent addition to their staff – Rebecca Huska. She will be filling the newly created position of Events/Communications Coordinator and will be working at the Friends’ office in Corunna.

“I am beyond excited to join the Friends of the Shiawassee River organization and contribute to the outstanding work they do,” said Huska. “I have enjoyed many experiences in and along the Shiawassee including river cleanups, hiking, kayaking and canoeing with friends, and the Curwood raft races. I look forward to working with those already involved to advocate for the Shiawassee River’s health and promote its appreciation within the community.”

Huska was born and raised in Owosso and graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she majored in Environmental Studies. She has held internship positions at both U of M’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens/Nichols Arboretum and locally at the DeVries Nature Conservancy. In addition, she participated in a study abroad program in New Zealand through EcoQuest studying the long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus).

“The Friends organization is thrilled to have Rebecca as a member of our team,” said Lorraine Austin, Friends’ Executive Director. “In addition to her scientific expertise, she brings with her a youthful vitality, an appreciation for the out-of-doors, great organizational skills, and a love of sharing her passion for the environment with others. We look forward to working with her to get the word out about our organization and all of the ways folks can get involved via a number of upcoming events.”

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends organization is committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

First-Ever Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” to be Held Sunday, May 23rd

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 14:54:58 GMT

The Fitness Coliseum in Owosso and the Friends of the Shiawassee River are kicking off the first-ever Shiawassee Triathlon (Shi~Tri) on Sunday, May 23, 2021 – and it’s going to be a big deal! The mission of the Shi~Tri is to promote community fitness and to support the Friends of the Shiawassee River. Proceeds from this year’s event will go toward improvements to help everyone care, share, and enjoy our treasured Shiawassee River.

This event, which had originally been planned for May of 2020, had to be postponed to 2021 due to safety reasons associated with Covid-19.

The Shi~Tri is a Run/Paddle/Bike Triathlon beginning and ending in Downtown Owosso along the Shiawassee River. Participants begin with a 3.8-mile run/walk from The Armory (on Water Street) to McCurdy Park in Corunna along the James Miner Trail. From there, the triathletes will launch their kayaks or canoes into the river and paddle 3.5 miles back to Owosso’s Mitchell Amphitheater. The third leg of the event will have participants biking a 9-mile loop through Owosso’s city streets and country roads back to the triathlon’s starting point.

“We’re so excited to get this first Shi~Tri event off and running,” said Brianna Carroll, owner of the Fitness Coliseum. “The great news is that most of those who registered last year stayed with us, so we already have over 90 participants already on board! That also means that since we have a maximum number of 150, those interested in signing up should do so now.”

The run start line will open at 8:50am, at which time the first group of runners will report to the front of The Armory. Runners will be assigned a staggered start time. This is just one of the many safety precautions related to Covid-19. Since each registrant will be timed individually, the staggered start will not interfere with accurate timing and placement of each participant’s performance.

The Shi~Tri event organizers want to make a special shout out this year to potential volunteer helpers. An event like this relies on the efforts of over 100 volunteers – both the day of the event and the day before. So, even if you don’t fancy yourself as an athlete or even an out-of-doors enthusiast, there are plenty of ways to jump in and help. And all who help out will get a race t-shirt as well.

“The Shi~Tri will truly be a once in a lifetime opportunity for anyone who would like to volunteer,” said Patrice Martin, Shi~Tri volunteer coordinator. “There are a wide variety of duties on both Saturday and Sunday – some lasting a few hours, and some all-day tasks. It’s a community-based, family-friendly activity – so we encourage families, friends, co-workers, neighbors and everyone to sign up together!”

To register as a triathlete OR a volunteer, visit www.shi-tri.com. Triathlete registration costs are as follows:

From now until March 31^st - $60 per individual; $90 per three-person relay team

April 1^st – April 30^th - $75 per individual; $105 per three-person relay team

May 1^st – May 16^th - $85 per individual; $120 per three-person relay team

The first registrant of each relay team will pay the registration fee for the team. The other members will also need to register under the team name (there will be no fee associated with the additional members, but they will all need to sign a waiver and provide a t-shirt size).

The race organizers would also like everyone to join in to thank this year’s sponsors – without whom this event would not be possible: Presenting Sponsor: Memorial Healthcare; Run Sponsor: Norm Henry Shoes; Paddle Sponsor: Great Lakes Fusion; Ride Sponsor: Byk-Rak; Underwriting Sponsor: Shiawassee County Convention & Visitors Bureau; Prize Design Sponsor: Darker Mfg. Co.; and the Shi~Tribe Sponsors: Advanced Eye Care, American Recycling Center, Inc., American Speedy Print, DayStarr Communications, Feighner Docks, Hankerd Sportswear, Merit Laboratories, Inc., Qdoba, RE/MAX of Owosso, RWI Mfg., and Weather Vane Roofing.

This event is open to youth ages 10 and up. Registration prices will be the same for adults and youth. All youth participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult during the entire race and that adult must also be a registered participant.

The Fitness Coliseum is a one-stop shop for fitness and wellness – focusing on providing fun, effective, and safe fitness classes to people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels. They pride themselves on creating a supportive environment that lifts people up and encourages them to be the best they can be.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

###

Shiawassee River designated as a “National Water Trail” by the U.S. National Park Service

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 13:16:52 GMT

“We are excited to have been informed that our application, first submitted in April 2017, to the U.S. National Park Service for consideration as a “National Water Trail”, has finally been approved by the agency,” said David Lossing, chair of the Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition. “We applied for a grant from the NPS in August 2015 for technical support to begin pulling the needed data and information together for the application. We appreciate all of the support we’ve been given during that process, and since, to move our Water Trail forward.”

The Shiawassee River Water Trail is eighty-eight miles in length stretching from Holly, MI to Chesaning, MI, crossing through four counties in mid-Michigan. The agency’s water trail program was formed to “…protect and restore America’s rivers, shorelines, and waterways; conserve natural areas along waterways; and increase access to outdoor recreation on shorelines and waterways. The Trails are a distinctive and national network of exemplary water trails that are cooperatively supported and sustained.”

The Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition began meeting in the fall of 2017 and organized itself to start working towards the implementation of the plan that was submitted as part of the water trail application. To date, the Coalition, through its individual member organizations, have:

1.  Created additional launch locations on the Shiawassee River
2.      Worked with Terrain360 in 2019 to photograph the river in a 360-degree format. https://www.terrain360.com/trail/shiawassee-river-water-trail?v=0&h=0&b=332.8&lat=42.78638&lon=-83.62663#0
3.      Worked with Hyfi, a company created through the University of Michigan’s School of Engineering, to install 30 water sensors on the Shiawassee River to report, in real time, the depth and flow of the river: https://www.tctimes.com/news/sensors-installed-along-the-shiawassee/article_4f0daa4c-0295-11eb-9a25-ff09681fe2bc.html
4.      Headwaters Trails, Inc., ongoing project of installing paddling mile markers along the river downstream of Fenton, MI.

The Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition is made up of the following organizations:

Oakland County:

Village of Holly, Holly Township, Headwaters Trails, Inc., North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy

Genesee County:

City of Fenton, City of Linden, Argentine Township, Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission, Sierra Club – Nepsassing Chapter, Ponemah, Squaw and Tupper Lake Association, Keepers of the Shiawassee River

Shiawassee County:

Byron Village Downtown Development Authority, Village of Vernon, City of Corunna, City of Owosso, Shiawassee County Parks and Recreation, Friends of the Shiawassee River

Saginaw County:

Village of Oakley, Village of Chesaning, Chesaning Township, Saginaw County Parks and Recreation

For more information about the Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition: https://www.shiawasseewatertrail.org

National Park Service’s announcement of the expanded trail program: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/10-22-20-trump-administration-adds-1-275-miles-to-national-trail-system.htm

Friends Endorse Prop 1

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 16:33:33 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River organization endorses Proposition 1 on the Michigan ballot this November. This widely supported ballot measure will continue funding for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, the State’s very successful program to direct revenues from oil and gas leases to parks, public lands, and protection of the environment.

The Trust Fund has funded a number of important park improvements along the Shiawassee River and Prop 1 will make funding available to increase access to rivers and lakes, help improve parklands, and protect lands that help ensure clean water. This valuable parks program is not funded by our tax dollars; rather it directs the royalties paid by industries who extract resources from public lands back to protecting our natural resources. Currently, there is a cap on how much funding the Trust Fund receives; Prop 1 would lift that cap and ensure a future stream of funding for park improvements and public land protection.

Since its creation in 1976, the Trust Fund has helped expand recreation opportunities and conserve Michigan’s land and water throughout the State including all 83 counties. In the Shiawassee watershed, Trust Fund dollars have been used, among other things, to make improvements at Henderson Park, protect headwaters in Springfield Township, provide trails in Linden and Argentine Township, provide access at Cole Park in Chesaning, and fund the park improvements currently underway in Corunna around the site of the former dam.

The Friends is not a political organization and we are proud of our non-partisan engagement with all constituents who care about the Shiawassee River. We are supporting Prop 1 because it is good policy for the State of Michigan that can help us carry out our mission to care, share, and enjoy the Shiawassee River. Prop 1 is endorsed by Republicans and Democrats, business and environmental organizations, hunters and anglers, park advocates, unions, and farmers. To see all endorsements and learn more go to miwaterwildlifeparks.com

On November 3 vote with the river in mind - Vote Yes on Prop 1

Friends’ Annual River Cleanup Event Will Look Different

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 01:08:53 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River’s annual river cleanup will be held this summer with a new tagline of “Overcoming Obstacles to Care for the River” and a new look to boot! This year will be the event’s 25^th anniversary and will encourage small groups to participate in a more individualized effort anytime between July 25^th – August 2^nd - with an emphasis on long-term “adoption” of the river sections participants choose to clean.

Larry Johnson, Director of the Shiawassee County Health Department (SCHD) and Friends’ river cleanup advisor, was concerned about large groups of people together and the community gathering/eating at the end of the event.

“The SCHD has been a river cleanup partner with the Friends for many years,” said Johnson. “In this challenging time, in order to continue to practice safe, social distancing, the SCHD advised the Friends to find a new way to conduct this very important community get-together.”

With Johnson’s comments in mind, the Friends’ river cleanup committee came up with some exciting ideas about a modified event – where participants register online at the Friends’ website and are able to clean a self-selected section of the river over a period of time (anytime between July 25^th and August 2^nd) in groups they organize themselves. Cleanup materials will be available for pickup to all registered participants at the Friends’ office THE WEEK BEFORE July 25^th (trash bags, gloves, buckets, etc.).

“Anyone interested will provide their name, contact information, and t-shirt size will check off a portion of the river they would be responsible for cleaning,” said Lorraine Austin, Friends’ Executive Director. “We are particularly excited about growing this year’s event to include the concept of a modified ‘Adopt a River’ idea - whereby that section of the river participants clean would be “theirs” to care for throughout the year, not just for the cleanup event.”

Participants will be urged to send photos and stories of their cleanup activities for the Friends’ Facebook page. All who participated (and registered) will come to the Friends’ office after the event to pick up their complementary river cleanup t-shirt and coupon to a free lunch at Mancino’s. Besides Mancino’s, the Friends’ are also thankful to other business event sponsors including Foster Coffee, J & S Tire, Oster Manufacturing, Matador’s Pizza, Hankerd Sportswear, VMD & Associates, and Waste Management.

Unfortunately, the SCHD will not be able to conduct the associated tire collection in conjunction with the river cleanup as in year’s past.

“We will be in contact with all of the cleanup registrants to communicate how used tires and other items cleaned from the river,” said Gary Burk, Friends’ board member and river cleanup committee chair. “The Friends will coordinate and assure all river debris removed will be promptly and properly recycled or disposed of.”

Anyone interested in participating in this year’s 25^th annual river cleanup should visit the Friends’ website at www.shiawasseeriver.org or call 989.723.9062 to register no later than July 23^rd. Up-to-date information on this and other Friends’ endeavors may be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FOSRiver/.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

Brianna Carroll Joins Friends’ Board of Directors

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 18:33:03 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is proud to announce the newest member of their Board of Directors – Brianna Carroll. Brianna, known to her friends and colleagues as Bri, is the owner of the Fitness Coliseum and the primary organizer of the Shi~Tri run, paddle, and bike event in conjunction with the Friends.

“I am incredibly excited to be joining the Friends’ Board,” said Carroll. “My first interaction with the Friends was as the Shi~Tri came to life. Although we had to postpone that event’s inaugural year to 2021, I realized what a great group the Friends were and how involved they are in the community. As a small business owner and young professional, I believe it is very important to get involved with our local nonprofits to keep them moving forward and thriving.”

She adds “My personal favorite way to enjoy the river is on my paddle board, which if you’re wondering, is an amazingly stable and easy to navigate down the river.”

Carroll was born and raised in Ovid-Elsie (literally both) and then went to Michigan State University to earn her bachelor’s degree in dietetics. After spending a few years in St. Petersburg, Florida for an internship and first job in the field, she found herself back home to be near her family. In April of 2018, she took over the ownership of the Fitness Coliseum and has been in love with the Owosso community ever since.

“The Friends organization is thrilled to have Bri as a member of our Board,” said Nick Tereck, Friends’ Board President. “In addition to her professional expertise, she brings with her a youthful vitality and love for the out-of-doors – especially river-related activities. We look forward to her bringing some fun, new events to the community through her Friends’ work.”

First-Ever Shiawassee Triathlon Postponed Until 2021

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:34:31 GMT

The Fitness Coliseum in Owosso and the Friends of the Shiawassee River, in collaboration with the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce, have announced that the first-ever Shiawassee Triathlon (Shi~Tri), originally scheduled for Sunday, May 31, 2020, will be postponed for the safety of potential triathletes, volunteers and spectators with the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 virus concerns. The rescheduled date is set for Sunday, May 23, 2021.

The mission of the Shi~Tri continues to be to promote community fitness and to support the Friends of the Shiawassee River. Proceeds from this next year’s event will go toward improvements to help everyone care, share, and enjoy our treasured Shiawassee River. Next year’s Run/Paddle/Bike route will remain the same as the 2020 route - beginning and ending in Downtown Owosso along the Shiawassee River.

“Although we are very excited to present this brand new event to the community, we do not want to risk the health of anyone,” said Brianna Carroll, owner of the Fitness Coliseum and event organizer. “Our planning team, consisting of a number of community leaders and Friends’ representatives, are looking forward to rolling things out next year with even more excitement!”

And, to encourage the over 90 triathletes who have already registered for the 2020 Shi~Tri to remain dedicated to the success of next year’s event, the Shi~Tri organizers will offer those who remain registered a number of incentives to do so, including:

- a free, one-year membership with the Friends of the Shiawassee River
- a guaranteed price lock on the registration fee (anyone who has already paid will not be charged more if the rates go up next year)
- a complimentary Friends’ kayak raffle ticket for the drawing to be held in September and “Life is Better on the River” Friends’ decal

“We have envisioned a river based experience like this for many years,” said Lorraine Austin, Executive Director of the Friends. “Although we are disappointed to have to delay it, we want to encourage those who are already registered to remain loyal to the community spirit of the event – benefitting the registrants, the Friends, and the Shi~Tri initiative as a whole.”

Registration for the event (for both triathletes and volunteers) will continue at www.Shi-Tri.com. Triathlete registration costs are $60 per individual and $90 per three-person relay team. Anyone who registers by April 30, 2020 (and agrees to remain registered for next year’s event) will receive the incentive package listed above.

The following 2020 event sponsors have graciously offered to remain sponsors of the 2021 event: Memorial Healthcare (Presenting Sponsor), Norm Henry Shoes (Run Sponsor), Great Lake Fusion (Paddle Sponsor), Byk-Rak (Ride Sponsor), Shiawassee County Convention & Visitors Bureau (Underwriting Sponsor), and Darker Mfg. Co. (Award Design Sponsor). In addition, the following businesses will support the 2021 event as Shi-Tribe Sponsors: Advanced Eye Care, American Recycling Center, Inc., American Speedy Print (Owosso), DayStarr Communications, Feighner Docks, Hankerd Sportswear, Merit Laboratories, Inc., Qdoba, REMAX of Owosso, RWI Mfg, and Weather Vane Roofing.

For more information, visit www.shi-tri.com or email ShiawasseeTri@gmail.com.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is a 501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the river environment and promoting the responsible use of/enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

###

"History of the Shiawassee River" - For Sale!

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 17:58:59 GMT

One of our founding members, Phil Hathaway, has written a book called "History of the Shiawassee River." You can purchase the book online by clicking here. And pick it up at our office (538 N. Shiawassee St. Corunna, MI) or we can ship it to you.

The history is a 123-mile tale in sequence about geology, Native Americans, pioneers, water power, water users, resource degradation and recovery. Considerable effort has been made to explain the relationships of human activity and the River from earliest known inhabitants to the near-present navigators. Flush with photographs and charts, readers may readily understand the narrative together with continuous deference to the value of history in our lives and for the care of the waterway. For those readers outside our watershed, there is an adoptable manner to content and chronology that may be followed in most navigable waterways. The coverage area from the source at Lake Shiawassee to the river's confluence with the Tittabawassee south of Saginaw is compressed with bonds of a the omnipresent Chippewas, early beaver trappers, river towns with their dams, ponds and mills and environmental qualities of the water body.

A huge thank you to Phil Hathaway for compiling this information and making it available for the public!

Friends’ 2020 Care, Share, and Enjoy Awards

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 18:22:05 GMT

In 1996, a group of Friends came together with a straightforward purpose to Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. Every year, we recognize volunteers and other Friends who make our work possible. We give awards for those who care for the River, share with others their knowledge and affection for the River, and help us all enjoy what the River can give us.

The CARE AWARD this year goes to the City of Corunna, including Mayor Chuck Kerridge, Assessor/Planner Merilee Lawson, City Manager Joe Sawyer, and Tim Crawford from the Department of Public Works, for their efforts and partnership with the Friends to restore the River at the site of the former Corunna dam. In 1996 we organized our first clean-up, and the City of Corunna was of one our partners. We pulled out about 300 tires that first year, which ended up there for a variety of reasons. While most of them are irresponsible methods of tire disposal, some people made a misinformed attempt to stop bank erosion. Once in the River, a tire is unsightly and can be hard to remove.

The City of Corunna has had the equivalent of a big tire stuck in the River for many years. The dam in Corunna, built over 100 years ago, once served a useful purpose, but it has been decades since it added any value to the community. But taking a dam out is hard work, kind of like pulling out a tire mired in the silt and mud. We recognize the City of Corunna for their diligence and commitment to restoring the River. The Friends will support enhancing the new recreational opportunities provided by the dam removal.

This year’s SHARE AWARD goes to David Richardson, a Byron Middle School teacher, for his continued participation in the Friends’ Stream Team program and for inspiring his students to become life-long river stewards. When it comes to sharing our knowledge and appreciation of the Shiawassee River, perhaps nothing is better than the volunteer water quality monitoring (Stream Team) we conduct at twelve sites from Holly to St. Charles. The most rewarding part of Stream Team efforts may be our work with schools and getting students into the River to learn science hands-on and boots-in.

The Friends has been fortunate to work with Dave and other teachers watershed-wide to help hundreds of students collect data and learn about what lives in the River. Dave’s love for the Shiawassee is shared with his students with the river ecology lessons and other projects like "Salmon in the Classroom". His ability and enthusiasm to share science and knowledge and personally show his appreciation of the River to his students is truly inspiring.

ENJOY AWARDSthis year are given to two Shiawassee area artists, Linda Beeman and Tom Tomasek, for their support of the Friends and their extraordinary talents in highlighting the river through their visual artistry. When we think of “enjoying” the Shiawassee, we usually think of paddling, or fishing, or using one of the many public parks or walkways located along the River.

However, many of us just enjoy the Shiawassee for the beauty it adds to our life. Linda and Tom have a gift for capturing the special beauty of the Shiawassee, and sharing it with others. Their work has given exposure to the Shiawassee widely, even internationally. Linda has helped build a relationship between the state of Shiga in Japan and Michigan and helped facilitate cultural and scientific exchanges that have benefitted both.

Tom and Linda have also supported the Friends by donating their art for auction at our annual fundraising events. Linda also championed the painting and installation of a mural along the River in downtown Owosso. We need the beauty of the Shiawassee River, and Linda and Tom have helped many people connect and fully appreciate the beauty it offers us.

THANK YOU to all our volunteers and other Friends. Those we recognize with an award are of course only a few of those who contribute to our success. They are representative of the best that is given to make the Shiawassee healthy, clean, and available to all.

We Reached Our #GivingTuesday Goal!

(Past member) — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 16:57:52 GMT

We Did It, we reached our goal! A HUGE thank you to each of our donors!

The Friends' met our $3,500 goal for Giving Tuesday thanks to the donations of 41 individuals like you! And, thanks to challenge grants from other Friends, we gained $10,500 in pledged matches. Our Giving Tuesday total this year will be $14,000!

We truly appreciate your $25 gift and will use these funds in 2020 to boost our outreach and educational efforts, including the work of our Stream Team river monitoring program. This will include: Stream Team equipment, salary for Sarah (our Stream Team coordinator), salary for a new staff person to come on board in 2020, and staff Stream Team traveling expenses. To learn more about what the Stream Team is all about, please read 2019 report. And if this piques your interest, you might want to contact us about becoming a Stream Team volunteer!!

The Giving Tuesday effort has truly been part of the best year ever for the Friends. We look forward to growing our service to the community and caring for the River we all hold dear.

Friends Receives Grant to Conduct Public Education Programs

(Past member) — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 18:55:53 GMT

Friends of the Shiawassee River is working with partner organizations to provide information, networking opportunities, and project development around the local impacts of climate change

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

November 2019 - CORUNNA, MI – One of the reasons the Friends’ organization was formed was to share their appreciation and knowledge of the Shiawassee River with others. With a new grant, the Friends of the Shiawassee River will take a step forward in 2020 with a major public education program about climate change and its impact on our watershed. The outreach effort will focus on actions that can be taken that enhance the health of the Shiawassee River no matter the extent of impacts caused by extreme weather events.

The Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA) Program, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has awarded the Friends funding to help them build a knowledge base and share practical information with those impacted by changing water levels resulting from increased storm events and droughts.

“We are here to serve the residents of the watershed, and this grant will help us all be better stewards of the river and its natural resources,” said Friends Executive Director Lorraine Austin. “We’re especially interested in taking a local look at what is happening in our own backyards.”

The Friends of the Shiawassee River will hold three education forums on the impacts of climate extreme weather events throughout the diverse Shiawassee River Watershed to inform and engage three different groups:

1) local governments and residential landowners along the River;

2) farmers. agricultural landowners, and conservation organizations;

3) recreational users of the River, including anglers, hunters, paddlers and wildlife advocates.

With the help of scientists, the Friends will provide the best information available about increased precipitation, the increased likelihood of storm events, rising summer and winter temperatures, droughts, and other weather changes. Workshop participants will work together to design and carry out a project to address a local problem or opportunity.

The GLISA team working on the project have local roots. “Having grown up in Corunna and having watched my uncle fish along the Shiawassee River all of his life, I am excited to work with the Friends of the Shiawassee River and local residents to protect these resources that have played, and continue to play, such an important role in the lives of the local communities,” said Dr. Frank Marsik of the University of Michigan and GLISA liaison to the Friends.

The GLISA team at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan will analyze climate data and provide an analysis of climate change in the Shiawassee River watershed that will be presented at all three workshops. At each workshop, organizations with relevant expertise will present potential solutions that can be undertaken by watershed residents, landowners, local governments, community nonprofits, and recreational organizations.

“People in the Great Lakes region understand that climate change is about more than increases in temperature and rainfall across the region. As a result of these changes in our climate, our wetlands and other sensitive ecosystems are seeing changes, as well,” said Marsik. “Increases in rainfall can lead to increases in soil erosion and run-off into rivers and streams. Temperature changes are leading to shifts in vegetation and habitat for wildlife.”

Other partners in the project include the Michigan Association of Planning, the Michigan Chapter of The Nature Conservancy in Michigan, the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network, the Shiawassee Conservation District, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Fish & Wildlife.

For more information, visit the Friends’ website at www.ShiawasseeRiver.org or email info@shiawasseeriver.org. The Friends will also post updates on their Facebook page and Twitter feed (FOSR_Tweets).

GLISA is one of eleven Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) teams supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) dedicated to helping the nation prepare for and adapt to climate variability and change. Through research and service, we build capacity to respond to climate-related risks in the Great Lakes region by increasing the usability of climate information for decision making. GLISA is a partnership between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and serves the eight states in the Great Lakes basin in the United States and the Province of Ontario in Canada.

Sturgeon Release in Chesaning

(Past member) — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 17:49:26 GMT

More sturgeon to be released into Saginaw Bay Watershed during public events on Sept. 21

Local, state and federal partners invite the public to a lake sturgeon release celebration on Sept. 21, 2019. Releases will reintroduce 500 hatchery-reared sturgeon into the Saginaw Bay Watershed. Each tributary (Cass, Flint, Shiawassee, and Tittabawassee rivers) will receive 125 fish.

The schedule includes:

 A 10 a.m. release on the Tittabawassee River. It will be held at the Bob G. Caldwell Municipal Boat

Launch in Midland, Mich., and will be hosted by the Chippewa Nature Center. For more information,

contact Dennis Pilaske at dpilaske@chippewanaturecenter.org.

 The 11 a.m. Shiawassee River release will take place at Cole Park in Chesaning, Mich., and will be

hosted by the Friends of the Shiawassee River. For more information, contact Lorraine Austin at

lorraineA@shiawasseeriver.org.

 The noon Cass River release is at the Fishermen’s Parking Lot near the Gunzenhausen Walkway in

Frankenmuth, Mich. at the corner of Guzenhausen and Rosstal Street, and will be hosted by U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service. For more information, contact Michelle Vanderhaar at

michelle_vanderhaar@fws.org.

 From 1-3 p.m., the Flint River release will take place at Mott Park Recreation Area. This largescale event will include a speaker program, educational tables, and the official ribbon cutting for thePaddlers’ Landing. For more information, contact Rebecca Fedawa at rfedewa@flintriver.org.

These events are part of the Saginaw Bay Watershed Lake Sturgeon Restoration, an effort led by the DNR and partners to reestablish lake sturgeon in the Saginaw Watershed through the Cass, Shiawassee, Tittabawassee and Flint rivers. The lake sturgeon were reared at the USFWS National Fish Hatchery in Genoa, WI, and are about 5-7 inches in length. The adult source population for the lake sturgeon were collected near Port Huron. Lake sturgeon are a unique Great Lakes species. They can grow up to 7 feet long and can weigh up to 300 pounds. The slow-maturing fish do not begin reproducing until they are 15-20 years old. Once abundant in many Michigan lakes and rivers, lake sturgeon were nearly eradicated due to overfishing and habitat loss, particularly the destruction of rocky reefs in rivers that sturgeon and other native fish species use for spawning. In recent years, many partnerships and projects are working to restore sturgeon to a self-sustaining level in Michigan. This work includes restoring sturgeon habitat, reintroducing sturgeon into their native ranges, and raising awareness and appreciation for this unique species. The Sept. 21, 2019, sturgeon release events are supported by a variety of partners including Bay County Environmental Affairs and Community Development, City of Frankenmuth, Chippewa Nature Center, Flint River Watershed Coalition, Frankenmuth Morning Rotary Club, Friends of the Shiawassee River, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, MSU Extension, Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Saginaw Field and Stream Club, Sturgeon for Tomorrow – Black Lake Chapter, The Conservation Fund, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Learn more about the lake sturgeon restoration efforts and additional partners on the

Saginaw Bay Sturgeon website (www.saginawbaysturgeon.org).

2019 River Cleanup Best Yet

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 19:15:31 GMT

Friends of the Shiawassee River and the Shiawassee County Health Department wish to thank all event participants and sponsors of this 24^th annual event

_________________________________________________________

August 12, 2019 - OWOSSO, MI – Representatives of the Friends of the Shiawassee River and the Shiawassee County Health Department have declared their July 27^th 2019 River Cleanup event to be a rousing success and wish to thank all those who supported the endeavor.

“Almost 200 volunteers turned out to help remove 15 cubic yards of trash (approximately 90 13-gallon trash bags full) and over 800 tires both from the river together with the tire collection event that was held at the Shiawassee County Road Commission,” said Larry Johnson, SCHD Director. “It was by far our most successful cleanup event ever.”

Tony Newman, Shiawassee County Drain Commissioner added, “We’re thrilled with the number of volunteers who gave their time to help preserve and protect our greatest ecological asset, the Shiawassee River.” Both Newman and Johnson have both worked with this effort for the majority of the 24 years it has been held. Phil Hathaway, a Friends’ volunteer and past Community Development Director for the City of Owosso, who has also been responsible for the development/upkeep of several canoe/kayak launches on the river, was also a key figure in the success of this year’s event.

Volunteer cleanup crews were sent to multiple locations on the river between Geeck Road Park and Henderson Park, picking up trash from over 10 miles of the river.

Teresa Sherman, who organized the cleanup in Vernon (where a canoe/kayak launch and associated lockers were recently installed), participated in her third cleanup this year.

“After three years, we’re still getting a great turnout at Vernon for this event,” said Sherman. “We truly appreciate everyone who braved the high waters and helped to make our section of the river visibly cleaner. We always have a great time!”

In addition to the many volunteers who banded together as individuals for the event, a number of groups and businesses also joined in.

Oster Manufacturing and J & S Tire and Service, both in Owosso, generously paid their employees for the day to participate – as well as donated as event sponsors.

“We have been associated with this event for many years now,” said Steve Gill, owner of J & S. “It’s an effort we feel privileged to be a part of. My employees look forward to it every year! I ask that others in the community join us next year to support the Friends and the SCHD in this and other endeavors to keep our river clean.”

Other business sponsors included Hankerd’s Sportswear, VMD & Associates, Matador’s Pizza and Takeout, Foster Coffee Co., Mancino’s, Cheff’s Canoe Rental, and Waste Management. The Friends and SCHD also received a grant in the amount of $2,000 from the Great Lakes Commission to support the event.

Lorraine Austin, Executive Director of the Friends, added “It truly takes a village to make this event come to fruition every year. Families, businesses, students, elected officials, and others came together in record numbers – all with one thing in mind. To clean the river (and have some fun while doing it). It’s something we can all support. We are more than thankful to everyone for their hard work.”

After the cleanup was over, participants gathered at the Don and Metta Mitchell Amphitheater in downtown Owosso to obtain a free t-shirt, grab some lunch (courtesy of Mancino’s), and swap stories. Some of the more unique items found this year included a TV, bicycle, deer skull, trolling motor, Captain America shield, realtor sign, break up note, and more. The cleanup t-shirts will most likely be seen all around this summer (and beyond). When you see someone sporting one, please thank them for their participation as river stewards.

The 25^th (silver anniversary) river cleanup will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

For more information, about upcoming Friends’ and SCHD events, visit their websites (www.shiawasseeriver.org & http://health.shiawassee.net and/or follow each on Facebook.

Saginaw Bay Sturgeon Release

Fri, 09 Aug 2019 19:14:07 GMT

More sturgeon to be released into Saginaw Bay Watershed during public events
on Aug. 23

Local, state, and federal partners invite the public to a Lake sturgeon release celebration on Aug. 23, 2019, in
the Saginaw Bay Watershed. Releases will reintroduce 125 hatchery-raised sturgeon into each tributary of the
Saginaw Bay Watershed (Cass, Flint, Shiawassee, and Tittabawassee rivers). Short presentations will be made
at three of the events by local partners.

The schedule includes:

• A release at 10 a.m. on the Tittabawassee River. It will be held at the Bob G. Caldwell Municipal Boat

Launch in Midland, MI, and will be hosted by the Chippewa Nature Center. For more information,

contact Dennis Pilaske at dpilaske@chippewanaturecenter.org.

• The noon Shiawassee River release will take place at Cole Park in Chesaning, MI, and will be hosted by

the Friends of the Shiawassee River. For more information, contact Lorraine Austin at

lorraineA@shiawasseeriver.org.

• The noon Cass River release is at the Gunzenhausen Walkway in Frankenmuth, MI, and will be hosted

by the City of Frankenmuth. For more information, contact Daren Kaschinske at

dkaschinske@frankenmuthcity.com.

• The final release will be held on the Flint River at Mott Park Recreation Area. The release is not open to

the public due to construction in the area. For more information, contact Rebecca Fedawa at

rfedewa@flintriver.org.

Lake sturgeon are a unique Great Lakes species. They can grow up to 7 feet long and can weigh up to 300
pounds. The slow-maturing fish do not begin reproducing until they are 15-20 years old. Once abundant in
many Michigan lakes and rivers, lake sturgeon were nearly eradicated due to overfishing and habitat loss,
particularly the destruction of rocky reefs in rivers that sturgeon and other native fish species use for
spawning. In recent years, many partnerships and projects are working to restore sturgeon to a self-sustaining
level in Michigan. This work includes restoring sturgeon habitat, reintroducing sturgeon into their native
ranges, and raising awareness and appreciation for this unique species.
The Aug. 23, 2019, sturgeon release events are supported by a variety of partners including Bay County
Environmental Affairs and Community Development, City of Frankenmuth, Chippewa Nature Center, Flint
River Watershed Coalition, Frankenmuth Morning Rotary Club, Frankenmuth School District’s Chief Science
Officers, Friends of the Shiawassee River, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Sea Grant,
Michigan State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, MSU Extension, Saginaw Bay Watershed
Initiative Network, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Saint Lorenz School, Sturgeon for Tomorrow – Black Lake
Chapter, The Conservation Fund, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Learn more about the lake sturgeon restoration efforts on the Saginaw Bay Sturgeon website
(www.saginawbaysturgeon.org).

Update on Shiatown Dam Removal - July 2019

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 19:09:43 GMT

Further restoration of the Shiawassee River will be achieved as the final remnants of the Shiatown Dam are now being removed. The project has been long in coming (see history), and the Friends of the Shiawassee have worked with several state and local stakeholders to gain sufficient funding, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve safety, environmental, and recreational goals. By the end of 2019 the Shiawassee River will be free-flowing at the site of Shiatown County Park.

The Shiatown Dam is owned by the State of Michigan Land Bank, and they have sought to eliminate liability by removing this dangerous and obsolete dam where several children have drowned. In 2010, the Dam Safety Division of the State of Michigan had ordered steps taken to reduce the danger of dam failure, and in 2012 partial removal of the dam was accomplished. The State of Michigan asked the Friends of the Shiawassee River to assist with removal and restoration of the site.

The Friends have sought not only to eliminate a hazard in the river, but to take steps to restore the natural aspects of the Shiawassee River, create fish habitat, and expand recreation at Shiatown Park. To accomplish these goals, the Friends worked to secure funding from several state and private sources. Most notably, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources have provided both dam safety funds and an Aquatic Habitat Restoration Grant. Additional funding was secured from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN). Shiawassee County officials have lent technical advice and provided on-the-ground input on project design.

Securing these grant awards, meeting funding requirements, and coordinating different grants from different sources were the first challenge of the project. Gaining regulatory approval for the restoration of the River, which will involve work in the riverbed itself and the movement of a considerable amount of dirt, was the second challenge. The offices of State Representative Ben Glardon, and his successor Ben Frederick, helped move the project forward. All of it required patience and persistence from the volunteers working with and through the Friends. Four different executive directors for the Friends have been involved with the project. None of it could have been possible without the long-term commitment of GEI Consultants who provided engineering expertise.

Now, with water levels lower, a bid has been awarded for the final removal and restoration work. The contractor has begun work and will be putting in long days Monday to Saturday and plan to get most of the work done by Labor Day. Booms to collect sediment, called turbidity curtains, are one of several steps taken to protect water quality.

For safety reasons, access to all of the site has been limited. The small boat launch at Shiatown East Park just downstream from the dam is closed. The next downstream public access is the Vernon launch. Paddlers should either avoid, or take extreme caution, with any paddling trip in the area. Watercraft must exit the river well upstream of the dam. Once the project is complete there will ready access to the launch and no need to portage. The Shiawassee offers many other excellent paddling alternatives (see our Paddling Resources).

Kayak Raffle News

Thu, 30 May 2019 19:07:39 GMT

Kayak Raffle “Launched” by Friends of the Shiawassee River

May 30, 2019 - CORUNNA, MI. —The Friends of the Shiawassee River (Friends) have launched a fundraising raffle for a 12’6” Venture Kayaks Islay 12 kayak to informally kick off summer season. The kayak is from The Power of Water in Lansing and is valued at over $1,200. Funds generated by the raffle will be used to host water quality monitoring stream teams, an annual river cleanup event, paddling events, and other Friends’ efforts. Winners of the kayak and 2^nd/3^rd place prizes will be announced at the Friends’ annual wine-tasting event on Wednesday, September 11^th at the Owosso Country Club.

“The raffle is more than just a way for the Friends to raise money,” said Friends’ Kayak Raffle Co-Chair Matt Van Epps. “We hope to promote the whole idea of paddling the Shiawassee. It’s a great way to rediscover this river we love so much.”

Raffle tickets may be purchased from any Friends’ Board member and from the following locations:

Fifth Third Bank, Owosso

Friends Office (538 N. Shiawassee St.), Corunna

Gilbert’s Hardware and Appliance, Owosso

J & S Tire, Owosso

Shiawassee Arts Center, Owosso

Shiawassee Family YMCA, Owosso

And, along with the kayak raffle, the Friends’ wants to remind everyone that the Shiawassee River was recently approved as only one of eight state-designated water trails in Michigan. To highlight this acknowledgement, they will also be hosting two upcoming paddling events this summer:

Saturday, June 22^nd @ 10 am – Harmon Patridge Park to DeVries Nature Conservancy with a cookout following

This short paddle is great for beginners or families. After the paddle, participants will be treated to a fun cookout at DeVries. Pre-registration is required at www.shiawasseeriver.org/calendar.

Saturday, June 29^th @ 5:30 pm – Harmon Patridge Park to Henderson Park

This beautiful stretch of the river is even nicer at twilight. Both this paddle and the paddle on the 22^nd will be led by experienced paddler Joyce Haak. If you’ve been reluctant to go it alone, these adventures are a great way to enjoy nature and make new Friends! Pre-registration is required at www.shiawasseeriver.org/calendar.

For more information on the Friends’, visit www.shiawasseeriver.org. To remain up-to-date on all of their activities, like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FOSRiver, follow them on Twitter @FOSR_Tweets, email info@shiawasseeriver.org, or call the Friends’ office at (989) 723-9062.

Consumers Energy Foundation Grant Received by Friends

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 16:55:52 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River has received a $14,400 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation supporting their Stream Team volunteer water monitoring program.

“Consumers Energy is committed to ensuring Michigan has world-class natural resources, especially the preservation and restoration of flowing waters in our home state,” said Carolyn Bloodworth, secretary/treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation. “As a tributary to the Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay, we look forward to seeing the positive impact this contribution to the Friends of the Shiawassee River will have on the water quality of all three freshwater resources.”

The grant will support the expansion and development of the Stream Team program from Holly to St. Charles. Currently, through Stream Team efforts, the river is monitored twice annually at 10 sites along the approximately 100-mile stretch. Teams of trained leaders and interested volunteers collect, identify, and count a variety of benthic macroinvertebrates (“bugs”). Based on the number and type of macroinvertebrates collected at a testing site, a water quality rating is assigned to that stretch of the river – using standards set by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) program.

If you are interested in participating in this program please contact Sarah Baker at sbaker@shiawasseeriver.org

2019 Annual Meeting and Celebration

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 16:53:17 GMT

The meeting was held on Tuesday, January 22^nd at the Wrought Iron Grill. The event focused on our 2018 highlights, special award winners, grants, a featured speaker, business/individual sponsors, and Friends’ board members.

“The Annual Meeting allows us to recognize the efforts of our organization, those who comprise it, and businesses and individuals whose efforts help us carry out our mission,” said Nick Tereck, Friends’ Board President. “We are fortunate to have so many champions. It is important to gather together in celebration.”

The special awards were given to the following:

CARE AWARD – Keith and Diane Johnson

SHARE AWARD – Ludington Electric

ENJOY AWARD – Amy Kirkland

KEEPING THE BOAT AFLOAT AWARD – Dianne King

Because of the annual meeting’s date/time conflict with the Owosso City Council’s meeting, Amy Kirkland, who also serves as Owosso’s City Clerk, was presented with her award at the City Council meeting.

The featured speaker for the evening was Dr. Patrick Doran, Associate State Director & Director of Conservation for the Nature Conservancy in Michigan, who spoke about how the Shiawassee River connects to the Great Lakes.

“We are all rooted in place. However, our places -- like the Shiawassee -- are also part of regional and global systems, like the Great Lakes,” said Doran. “If we can maintain our connection to place while also seeing our potential contribution to the larger world, we can vastly magnify the impact of our actions.”

Tom Cook, Friends’ Past President who also serves as a Trustee with the Nature Conservancy in Michigan, continued, “We were pleased to hear from a renowned scientist that our efforts on the Shiawassee can help make Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron healthier. We all live downstream, and need to be good stewards for the people and wildlife that live downstream from us.”

Other acknowledgements that occurred at the meeting included the following list of 2018 business sponsors including Alderman’s, Inc., CLH Insurance, Downtown Owosso Farmers Market, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Hankerd Sportswear, J & S Tire, Ludington Electric, Mancino’s Pizza, Matador Pizza, Maurer Heating and Cooling, Oster Manufacturing, The Schluckebier/Hood Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, Shiawassee County Health Department, Vogl, Meder, & Dorcey, PLLC, Waste Management, Wrought Iron Grill, Young Buick GMC, and Young Chevrolet. A list of individual stream team site sponsors were also acknowledged, including Barb Brownlee, Gary Burk, Tom Cook & Anna Owens, Dean & Carolyn Ebert, Betsy Hull, Frank Livingston, Mike Selleck, Tom Teal & Jeannine Hopfensperger, Nick Tereck & Mike Kramer, Jim & Jillian Woodworth, and the Wrought Iron Grill.

The Friends’ Executive Director, Lorraine Austin, also gave special mention to the Friends’ 2018 board of directors including Gary Burk, Carson Colbry, Tom Cook (Past President), Mike Goergen, Betsy Hull, Joanne Kenyon (Treasurer), Frank Livingston, Karen Marumoto, Tony Newman, Lance Omer, Linda Robertson (Vice President), Nick Tereck (President), Matt Van Epps (Secretary), and Kristina Yaklin. Certificates of Appreciation were given to Kenyon, Newman, and Yaklin as outgoing board members.

New board members, Jake Adams, Jeff Deason, and Erika Tyrell, as well as board renewals, were presented to the membership for approval. Their terms will run until 2022.

Shiawassee River is Designated as a State Water Trail

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 20:06:07 GMT

The State of Michigan has just designated the first ever State Water Trails, and we are pleased to announce that the Shiawassee River Water Trail is among the inaugural eight. This success builds on several years of efforts by Friends of the Shiawassee River, the Keepers of the Shiawassee, the Headwater Trails, and several local governments and associations along the Shiawassee River from Holly to Chesaning. For more information click the link below.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDNR/bulletins/223bbe4?fbclid=IwAR0yBXEjxRR2zjZyQIr7lUVhB-obNOF4P7odO4aHHboRTr0rQi_hxL6eRzs

FRIENDS OF THE SHIAWASSEE RIVER APPOINTS “NEW” EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 20:00:40 GMT

Corunna, MI – The Friends of the Shiawassee River, a nonprofit organization dedicated to help Care for, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River through activities and events that support the health, public awareness, and enjoyment of the river, is pleased to announce the selection of Lorraine Austin as its new executive director. The Friends selected Lorraine after she served as the Interim Executive Director since September.

“We’re exceptionally pleased that Lorraine has taken on this leadership role,” said Nick Tereck, President of the Friends’ Board. “Her broad knowledge of science and education, coupled with years of experience working with many nonprofit organizations, both locally and elsewhere, make her well positioned to lead us going forward. Her passion and commitment to our cause coupled with the fact that she is well acquainted with our area and its residents, will enable her to plan more effectively for the future, collaborate with other organizations, and introduce innovative approaches to expand our programs.”

Austin was born and raised in Owosso and started her relationship with the Friends many years ago, first as a member, then as a Board member, and then as the organization’s Vice President. Before becoming Executive Director, acting as Interim Executive Director, she helped orchestrate the Friends’ move to their office in Corunna, the recent Giving Tuesday/Raise Up Shiawassee effort (in which she served as co-chair for the Shiawassee County effort), and the recent Shiawassee Water Trail State Water Trail designation.

With over 30 years of experience working with nonprofits, she has worked as the Curator of Education and Public Relations at the Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Indiana and the Staten Island Zoo in Staten Island, New York. After moving back home to Michigan, she served as the Executive Director of EarthShare of Michigan, Education Marketing Coordinator at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, and with the Grand Traverse Stewardship Initiative in coordination with the Grand Traverse Conservation District. Most recently, she has volunteered with the Downtown Owosso Farmers Market, Community Cats of Owosso, DeVries Nature Conservancy, Shiawassee Arts Council, and other local efforts.

Lorraine holds a BS in Wildlife Management from Purdue University and an MA in Education from the University of Michigan – Flint.

For more information about the Friends’ organization, visit their website at www.shiawasseeriver.org, become a member of their Facebook family, or stop by their new office at 538 N. Shiawassee Street in Corunna.

# Giving Tuesday Goal Reached

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 16:50:45 GMT

Thanks for helping us reach our #GivingTuesday goal!

Our goal was $1,800 – to support six school stream team water monitoring efforts up and down the Shiawassee for 2019. Not only did we raise $1,820, but the Cook Family Foundation has contributed another $1,000 – to make our grand total $2,820!

Friends was just one of 17 participating nonprofit organizations that were a part of this endeavor to #raiseUPshiawassee and we wanted to share the results with you:

Almost $72,000 raised among all of the participating organizations
Over 200 new donors
Approximately 80 new volunteers who expressed interest in volunteering among the organizations
A wide variety of other benefits to the organizations, including:
- 5 class registrations
- 3 new members
- 40 bags of food donations
- 3 garbage bags full of gently used stuffed animals for children
- 7 game/book donations
- 2 pet adoptions and additional foster animal adoptions
- Lots of pet food and cleaning supplies

That just goes to show that we are stronger together!

We're Officially in Our New Office!

Fri, 19 Oct 2018 15:47:30 GMT

Our New office space is located at

538 N. Shiawassee St. Corunna, Mi

On October 17, 2018 Chamber Ambassadors, Friends' Board Members and City of Corunna officials gathered for a ribbon cutting. Holding the big scissors is Nick Tereck, president of the board and to his left is interim executive director, Lorraine Austin. The office is hosting an open house this Sunday, October 21st. For more information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/293202648199330/

2018 Shiawassee River Clean Up

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 16:09:20 GMT

“Thanks to the commitment of our volunteers and generous event sponsors, more than 700 tires and hundreds of pounds of garbage and debris have been removed from the river since our first cleanup more than 20 years ago” said Larry Johnson, Director of the Shiawassee County Health Department. “This event is a great way for the community to come together and care for one of our greatest natural treasures, the Shiawassee River. By caring for the river, we’re providing recreational opportunities for the public and ensuring a healthy habitat for aquatic life.”

In 1996, the Friends of the Shiawassee River was founded by a group of individuals who wanted to continue the work of Owosso resident, Jim Miner. In the 1970's, Miner organized some of the first volunteer river cleanup events in Owosso. These events inspired a generation of river stewards, and ultimately the formation of the Friends.

Cleanup Volunteers can choose to assist with the cleanup in the river and parks, or paddle stretches of the river via canoe and search for tires. Volunteers should wear old clothes and shoes so that they can walk in the river, or along the riverbank. Tires collected from the river by volunteers will be recycled free of charge, courtesy of the Shiawassee County Health Department. Community members who wish to recycle old tires (not from the river) can bring them to the Shiawassee County Road Commission on July 28^th, from 8 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Tires will be accepted for a fee of $2 per car/truck tire without rims, and $3 for tires with a rim. Semi-truck tires will be accepted for a fee of $5 each without a rim, and $10 dollars for each tire with a rim. No tractor tires will be accepted. Arrangements for advance tire donation and storage can be made by calling Shiawassee County Health Department at (989) 743-2392.

The Shiawassee County Health Department and the Friends have received grant funding from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Great Lakes Commission Volunteer River, Stream and Creek Cleanup program. The funds will support ongoing efforts to improve the health of the Shiawassee River and its surrounding natural resources through events such as the annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and tire collection.

For more information about this event, contact the Friends of the Shiawassee River at ShiawasseeRiver.org, on the Friends’ Facebook page, by calling (989) 723-9062, or sending an email to info@shiawasseeriver.org. The Shiawassee County Health Department can be contacted by calling (989) 743-2392, or by visiting their website, http://health.shiawassee.net/Environmental-Health. The Health Department is also on Facebook.

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The mission of the Shiawassee County Health Department is to prevent disease, protect the health of the public and enhance the quality of life for Shiawassee County residents by providing information and services. The Environmental Health Division’s broad objective is to provide a means of safeguarding the environment. This is necessary for the health and welfare of the users and all other persons in Shiawassee County.

Join us for River Cleanup 2018

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 18:47:00 GMT

23rd Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and Tire Collection to be held on July 28th, 2018

___________________________________________________________________________________________

People who love the Shiawassee River have much to celebrate in July. The Friends of the Shiawassee River, in collaboration with the Shiawassee County Health Department, will be hosting their 23rd annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and Tire Collection on Saturday, July 28^th – and everyone interested in pitching in is welcome to join the fun. There will be prizes for the most unique items to be pulled from the river and all event volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and lunch. Event organizers ask that those interested in attending register at ShiawasseeRiver.org/calendar.

Saturday, July 28th

23nd Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Volunteers meet at one of the following locations by 9:00 am:

Owosso – Oakwood Street Bridge (behind Little League fields)
Corunna – McCurdy Park (near footbridge over the river)
Vernon – Crawford Park

Cleanup Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Mitchell Amphitheater

219 N Water Street, Owosso, MI 48867

(located on the grounds of Owosso Middle School)

All Cleanup Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and lunch.

The 2017 Annual Cleanup was generously supported by Waste Management, Oster Manufacturing (Owosso), J & S Tire (Owosso), Matador’s Pizza (Byron and Morrice), Mancino’s (Owosso), Cheff’s Canoe Rental (Vernon), Hankerd’s Sportswear (Owosso) and The Bagelman (Owosso).

Cleanup Volunteers can choose to assist with the cleanup in the river and parks, or paddle stretches of the river via canoe and search for tires. Volunteers should wear old clothes and shoes so that they can walk in the river. Tires collected from the river by volunteers will be recycled free of charge, courtesy of the Shiawassee County Health Department. Community members who wish to recycle old tires (not from the river) can bring them to the Shiawassee County Road Commission on July 28^th, from 8 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Tires will be accepted for a fee of $2 per car/truck tire without rims, and $3 for tires with a rim. Semi-truck tires will be accepted for a fee of $5 each without a rim, and $10 dollars for each tire with a rim. No tractor tires will be accepted. Arrangements for advance tire donation and storage can be made by calling Shiawassee County Health Department at (989) 743-2392.

For an unprecedented eleventh consecutive year, the Shiawassee County Health Department and the Friends have received grant funding from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Great Lakes Commission Volunteer River, Stream and Creek Cleanup program. The funds will support ongoing efforts to improve the health of the Shiawassee River and its surrounding natural resources through events such as the annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and tire collection.

###

The mission of the Shiawassee County Health Department is to prevent disease, protect the health of the public and enhance the quality of life for Shiawassee County residents by providing information and services. The Environmental Health Division’s broad objective is to provide a means of safeguarding the environment. This is necessary for the health and welfare of the users and all other persons in Shiawassee County.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River is501©3 nonprofit organization governed by a local board of directors and supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and generous donors. The mission of the Friends is to help the community Care, Share, and Enjoy the Shiawassee River. The Friends are committed to improving the environment, promoting the responsible use of, and enhancing the appreciation of the River throughout its watershed.

KAYAK RAFFLE “LAUNCHED” BY FRIENDS OF THE SHIAWASSEE RIVER

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 18:49:17 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River have launched a fundraising raffle for a 12’ Oru Folding Kayak to informally kick off the paddling season. The kayak is valued at over $1,300. Funds generated by the raffle will be used by the Friends to host water quality monitoring stream teams, an annual river clean-up, paddling events, and other Friends’ efforts. Winners will be announced at the Friends’ annual wine-tasting event, to be held on Wednesday, September 26th at the Owosso Country Club.

“The Shiawassee River is an amazing natural resource in our community, yet I hear time and again that so few get on the river and enjoy it first-hand. The opportunity to get a quality kayak, hand-picked by the Friends of the Shiawassee River will give you the opportunity to experience the Shiawassee and take advantage of our river every year! Whether you win the raffle or not, get out on the river and enjoy what it has to offer! – Board President, Nick Tereck

“The Raffle is more than just a way for the Friends to raise a little money. Part of our mission is to promote the recreational use of the river. This raffle will enable the lucky winner to get out and enjoy the river we love so much.” – Board Director, Matt VanEpps

Raffle tickets will be available for $5 at Fifth Third Bank (Downtown Owosso branch), Gilbert’s Hardware and Appliance (Owosso), J & S Tire (Owosso), Matador Pizza (Byron and Morrice) Shiawassee Arts Center (Owosso), YMCA (Owosso), and - or from any Friends’ Board member. They may also be purchased at the Friends’ wine-tasting event in September. The kayak will be on display for much of the summer at Gilbert’s Hardware and Appliance, J & S Tire, and other sites around town (including the Downtown Owosso Farmers Market on May 19, June 16, July 21, August 11, and September 15.

Corunna Wins Grant to Begin Dam Restoration

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 17:18:23 GMT

Corunna, MI - After decades of decay, the Corunna dam will be removed and the Shiawassee River restored, thanks to grants from the State of Michigan, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the privately-funded Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN). Work is expected to start this summer.

The City of Corunna received a $301,500 grant from the Michigan of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in the beginning of 2016, and was also awarded a $33,500 grant from US Fish and Wildlife Service. With this funding in hand, the City has sufficient resources to remove the remnants of a dam that has troubled the community for several years.

In December of 2016, Corunna got notice of a $288,600 grant from the Michigan Natural Trust Fund to make recreational improvements at, around, and near the dam site. These include a walkway along the westside of the river, creation of fishing opportunities, an accessible kayak launch, and parking lot upgrades. Taken together these grants will transform the obsolete and dangerous dam into a community asset.

The dam has also been a barrier to small boat passage with no good opportunity for portage. Dam removal and replacement with a passable riffle section will further support a future national river trail designation for the Shiawassee. Work is expected to be undertaken in 2017.

Friends Purchase First HQ: Seeking Remodel Assistance

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 18:20:50 GMT

Friends HQ House Party

Monday, October 24, 2016 Noon to 2:00 PM

538 N. Shiawassee Street Corunna, MI

RSVP at (989) 723-9062 or Info@ShiawasseeRiver.org

Maybe you already heard the great news at the Wine Tasting Celebration, but the Friends have taken a major step forward. We purchased a house next to the dam in Corunna, and will be converting it into our office and meeting place, complete with storage space and amazing public visibility.

We are just now beginning to assess and make plans to find the best use of the building and the property. If you have building trades skills and are interested in helping, please join us at a special meeting at the new house to see the potential for yourself and do some brainstorming with us.

The other part of the great news is that the Friends are partnering with the City of Corunna to help them with the restoration of the Shiawassee River at the dam site. We supported the City's work with state and federal agencies to assess options for the deteriorating, dangerous dam. The City decided to remove the dam and was awarded several grants to help this process (read more here). Corunna is also making plans for recreational improvements at and around the site, including a walkway along the river. The Friends ownership of property near the dam will help make this walkway possible.

A light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Final Part of Michigan’s Water Strategy Released Today in Owosso

Tue, 18 Oct 2016 18:05:34 GMT

Jon Allan, Director of the Office of the Great Lakes, thanked the Friends for their exemplary work with volunteer water quality monitoring.

Way to go Stream Teams!

The Friends were honored to host Director Allan for the release of the final portion of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's Water Strategy. The State Water Strategy focuses on monitoring systems, community engagement, and shared governance.

"Water literacy, community engagement, and integrated monitoring systems will help create a vision of healthier ecosystems, improved resource management, and increasing stewardship of Michigan’s globally unique water resources.”

The Water Strategy is a 30-year plan for Michiganders to protect, manage, and enhance Michigan’s water resources for current and future generations. The Strategy identifies key actions for actors at many levels to promote healthy water resources. It is organized around nine goals and outcomes designed to ensure the viability and sustainability of Michigan’s water resources over time, placing Michigan on a path to achieving its water vision in a way the that builds economic capacity while sustaining ecological integrity of this globally-significant resource.

As a member and supporter of the Friends of the Shiawassee River, you know that Michigan is surrounded by 20% of the world's fresh surface water, and with that comes a deep ethical obligation to be good and thoughtful stewards of this global treasure. Ensuring the health of our water resources for generations to come depends on creating a culture of stewardship and pursuing lifelong education about water. Just like every drop of water matters, every effort does too. Thank you for all you do to Care for, Share in and Enjoy our treasured river.

CLICK HERE to read more about the Water Strategy

Johnson’s Dedication to River Encompasses Decades

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 18:35:09 GMT

By TIM RATH, Argus-Press Staff Writer

Posted with permission from author

CORUNNA — This week, Keith Johnson will put on his waders and do what he’s done every summer since 1969: help clean up an area he considers home.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River organization is scheduled to host its 21st Annual River Cleanup Saturday, but Johnson has been involved in volunteering to beautify the area much longer than the event has been around.

Click here to read more about the 2016 River Cleanup

For Johnson, who served as mayor of Corunna in the 1980s and has been a part of “just about every board in the city that you can imagine,” the effort is about friendship and community — giving back to an area that has given back to him.

“I feel like I owe this community something,” said Johnson, 73, a Corunna High School graduate. “This is home.”

Johnson’s interest in serving the community was actually sparked several thousand miles away, in Vietnam, where he served as a sergeant in the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army in the mid-1960s. At the time, he said, the general of his outfit had a pet project of rebuilding refugee villages there.

“They’d get there and swarm the place full of ’copters,” Johnson said. “Move ’em out and move ’em in in one day. It was about saving lives.”

But what the outfit offered in speed and efficiency, it lacked in basic supplies necessary for the war-torn populace it was helping. Johnson’s general went to his outfit to appeal for help from Americans at home.

“I asked my wife, Diane, to send over some clothes, and she said that while she could, the cost was outlandish,” Johnson said. “So I had her talk to Blair Woodman, who was the state rep for this area at the time.

“He took that project by the horns. People in Corunna organized basketball games and everything you could imagine to raise money for clothes, and they ended up getting something like 10,000 pounds of clothes to send over ... We had people in that outfit from Detroit, Los Angeles, New York ... Corunna raised more than any of them.

“The general called me after and said, I don’t know where Corunna is, but when I retire, I’d like to go there ... I thought that was a great thing the community did.

“Remember, the war was not popular in this country at the time. So, when I came back, I got involved in the Jaycees right away, because I wanted to give back.”

The local Jaycees, which according to Johnson once totaled about 180 members, has since folded. It was a leadership training organization for people between 18 and 40. Such able-bodied, eager to help young people were exactly who local attorney James Miner had hoped to recruit for his cause when Johnson attended a meeting in 1969.

“He said he needed some help, because he wanted to turn the river from what it used to be ... James Oliver Curwood wrote that it was a cesspool ... into the doorway of the community,” Johnson said.

“He wanted to get easements and clean the area and build a trail between Owosso and Corunna. All that we thought at the time was that he was very passionate and knowledgeable, so we figured we would help out.”

Johnson recalled the first time he went out to the Gould Street bridge area with Miner and a friend.

On a hot summer day, hacking away at overgrowth, he was reminded of his time in Vietnam. All the while, in the background as they walked, Miner was vigorously discussing his plans for what would later become the James S. Miner Riverwalk.

“Jim said, at one point, ‘Alright, it’s time for a break. Here, sit on this log,’” Johnson said. “And then, he said, pretending he was aghast, ‘Would you look at that? Someone has dumped a cooler right here on the river. What a shame.’

“Then, he opened the cooler. There was beer and ice inside. I guess Jim had put it there before we started. That’s when we knew, not only was he passionate and knowledgeable, but he appreciated us. And after that, he was my friend for the rest of his life.”

Johnson has participated in river cleanup activities ever since. When the Friends of the Shiawassee River group was formed in the 1990s, Johnson immediately became involved. Since then, executive director Lauri Elbing said, he has been a model volunteer.

“I think Keith has that conservation ethic,” Elbing said. “He puts his elbow grease where his heart is. He gets in the dirt, so to speak — picking up garbage, picking up tires and getting in the trenches. To do so, even now at his age, it’s something to see.”

Unfortunately, Johnson said, his efforts might not last much longer due to health and other issues.

“In Ecclesiastes they say, ‘To all things a season.’ I think it’s almost that time for me,” he said. “Diane has been telling me, ‘You’re going to die in that river.’ And I just tell her, that’s OK. They’ll get me at the next river cleanup.”

But he is passing his spirit on to the next generation, having recruited his high-school aged granddaughter to volunteer with him Saturday.

“My generation pretty much screwed up the river — yours has a lot of work to do. But I’ve enjoyed looking at that river my whole life, and I want my grandchildren, as well as their grandchildren, to be able to enjoy it for as long as I have,” he said.

Friends' 20th Birthday Party Fun & Festive!

Sat, 30 Jul 2016 16:27:21 GMT

We had a fabulous party with over 40 Friends at Mitchell Amphitheater in Owosso on Saturday to celebrate the people, the friendships and all the work we have accomplished together.

Thank you so much to the Cook Family Foundation - Shiawassee County Nonprofit Capacity Building Program for sponsoring the Friends 20th Birthday Party! This program has helped our family of nonprofits become strong, stable and more collaborative, including the Friends of the Shiawassee River. As we deepen our partnerships with communities, businesses, schools and organizations along the full 120 mile length of the river - from the headwaters in Holly to Chesaning and St. Charles - NOW is a great time to become a member of the Friends.

Membership with Friends of the Shiawassee River supports our work to sustain and improve a healthy clean river, promote local communities' economic and recreation connections to the river, and share information, science and stewardship opportunities. Become a member today and join our fun and growing team of awesome Friends!

Click here to Become a Member

CLICK HERE to VOLUNTEER SATURDAY, AUGUST 13th, for the 21st Annual River Cleanup & Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

All Cleanup Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and lunch!

Thunderstorms and high water forced the postponement (to August 13) of the Annual Cleanup, but over 40 Friends showed up to celebrate and enjoy a piece of delicious birthday cake.

LIKE us on Facebook!

If you were at the Birthday Party, please tag yourself and your friends on our 20th Birthday Party Facebook Album.

2016 Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and Friends 20th Birthday Party

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 16:21:20 GMT

People who love the Shiawassee River have much to celebrate in July. The Friends of the Shiawassee River (Friends) is turning 20 years old and for an unprecedented ninth consecutive year, the Shiawassee County Health Department and the Friends have received grant funding from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Great Lakes Commission Volunteer River, Stream and Creek Cleanup program. The funds will support ongoing efforts to improve the health of the Shiawassee River and its surrounding natural resources through events such as the annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and tire collection. Everyone interested in pitching in on the River Cleanup is welcome to join the fun. All Cleanup volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and lunch. Register to volunteer at ShiawasseeRiver.org/calendar

2016 Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Volunteers meet at one of the following locations by 9:00 am. Click on the link to Register:

1. Corunna: McCurdy Park

2. Owosso: Oakwood Park at Oakwood Avenue Bridge (behind baseball fields)

NOTE: The Cleanup will be rescheduled for August 13^th in the event of inclement weather.

Cleanup Volunteer Appreciation Lunch & Friends 20^th Birthday Celebration

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Mitchell Amphitheater

219 N Water Street, Owosso, MI 48867

(located on the grounds of Owosso Middle School)

All Cleanup Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and lunch.

The 2016 Annual Cleanup is generously supported by the following sponsors:

J & S Tire (Owosso)
Oster Manufacturing Company (Owosso)
Johnny V’s Smokehouse (Corunna)
Owosso Graphic Arts
Matador’s Pizza (Byron)
Mancino’s (Owosso)
Cheff’s Canoe Rental (Vernon)
The Bagelman (Owosso)
Shiawassee County Health Department
Waste Management
Great Lakes Commission

THANK YOU!

2016 Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and Friends 20th Birthday Party

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 18:16:30 GMT

2016 Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Volunteers meet at one of the following locations by 9:00 am. Click on the link to Register:

1. Corunna: McCurdy Park

2. Owosso: Oakwood Park at Oakwood Avenue Bridge (behind baseball fields)

NOTE: The Cleanup will be rescheduled for August 13^th in the event of inclement weather.

Cleanup Volunteer Appreciation Lunch & Friends 20^th Birthday Celebration

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Mitchell Amphitheater

219 N Water Street, Owosso, MI 48867

(located on the grounds of Owosso Middle School)

All Cleanup Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and lunch.

The 2016 Annual Cleanup is generously supported by the following sponsors:

J & S Tire (Owosso)
Oster Manufacturing Company (Owosso)
Johnny V’s Smokehouse (Corunna)
Owosso Graphic Arts
Matador’s Pizza (Byron)
Mancino’s (Owosso)
Cheff’s Canoe Rental (Vernon)
The Bagelman (Owosso)
Shiawassee County Health Department
Waste Management
Great Lakes Commission

THANK YOU!

Kayak Raffle “Launched” by Friends of the Shiawassee River

Thu, 26 May 2016 15:44:54 GMT

May 26, 2016, Owosso, MI - The Friends of the Shiawassee River have launched a fundraising raffle for a 13’ 5” Hurricane Sojourn 135 Kayak to informally kick off the paddling season. The kayak is from The Power of Water in Lansing and is valued at over $1,400. Funds generated by the raffle will be used by the Friends to host water quality monitoring stream teams, an annual river clean-up, paddling events, and other Friends’ efforts. Winners will be announced at the Friends’ annual wine-tasting event, to be held on Thursday, September 15th at the Owosso Country Club.

The raffle is being sponsored by Fifth Third Bank and tickets go on sale at the Owosso Farmers Market this Saturday and many other locations

"People are rediscovering the beauty of the Shiawassee River all the time, and if you haven't experienced it from a kayak or canoe, I hope you'll put it on your short list this summer," said Lauri Elbing, Executive Director of the Friends. "There is a very good reason why the Shiawassee River is #7 on a list of the Top 11 Water Trails in Michigan. Come see for yourself."

"It was the best five-bucks I ever spent!"

Steve Eastman, 2015 Kayak Raffle Winner

King Street Woods Planting Day

Tue, 17 May 2016 15:40:57 GMT

Saturday, May 21^st at 9:00 am

Memorial Healthcare Main Campus – West of the Emergency Department Entrance

The public is encouraged to join Memorial Healthcare staff and volunteers, Friends of the River, and interns from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and University of Michigan’s Nichols Arboretum for this day of planting and education about native plants and ecological restoration.

Not only will this be a family-friendly, fun day, but participants will actually create a woodland garden on the grounds of the hospital! And the creation of the garden is actually just a part of Memorial Healthcare’s plans. Nature truly has a healing effect for all of us. Studies have shown that patients with a view of natural areas heal faster than those without such a view.

Click here to RSVP for the event!

Two Upcoming Friends’ Events Support Health and Enjoyment of the Shiawassee River along Memorial Healthcare’s Riverbank

Sun, 15 May 2016 15:35:59 GMT

Owosso, MI - The Friends of the Shiawassee River (Friends) are thrilled to announce two upcoming events which highlight the river, its connection to the health and enjoyment of the people who live here, and the ecological importance of this local treasure to the community. The public is invited to participate in both of these events.

Adopt-A-River Sign Unveiling scheduled for Monday, May 16th at 2 pm

King Street Woods Planting Day scheduled for Saturday, May 21^st at 9 am

The Dr. John and Thora MacGregor Trust, honoring the memory of the local couple, and Memorial Healthcare are the two newest sponsors of the Friends’ Adopt-A-River initiative. This initiative supports the Friends’ efforts to clean and monitor stretches of the watershed. A sign celebrating these sponsorships will be unveiled on Monday, May 16^th at 2 pm, north of Memorial’s outside entrance to the cafeteria. Other Adopt-A-River sponsors include NCG Cinema (near the Cinema) and the Owosso Rotary (at Harmon Patridge Park).

Then, on Saturday, May 21st, the public is welcomed and encouraged to join Memorial Healthcare staff and volunteers, Friends of the River, and interns from the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and University of Michigan’s Nichols Arboretum for this day of planting and education about native plants and ecological restoration. Not only will this be a family-friendly, fun day, but participants will actually create a woodland garden on the grounds of the hospital!

Owosso Rotary Shows They Care; Adopts Shiawassee River

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 15:33:45 GMT

April 27, 2016, Owosso, MI - The Friends of the Shiawassee River joined members of the Owosso Rotary Club in Harmon Patridge Park this afternoon to unveil the latest Adopt-A-River sign. The Owosso Rotary became the latest sponsor of the Friends’ Adopt-A-River program, which offers businesses and non-profit service organizations the opportunity to help care for specific stretches of the Shiawassee River in collaboration with the Friends.

"The Owosso Rotary Club is proud to support the work of the Friends,” said Owosso Rotary President Paul Cook. “The Shiawassee River is a key asset for both our community and the region."

“The Friends organization is so appreciative of the continued support of the Owosso Rotarians,” added Lauri Elbing, the Friends’ Executive Director. “In addition to their generous financial gift through the Adopt-A-River program, they have also devoted many hours of volunteer service caring for the River. Their members have been a part of our annual River Clean-Up every year since the very first one twenty years ago – specifically targeting the Harmon Patridge section each of those years.”

Shiatown Dam Public Meeting Recap

Sat, 02 Apr 2016 15:31:01 GMT

The Friends of the Shiawassee River continue to work with State and local governments to help with the removal of the Shiatown Dam and support the restoration of the adjacent County Park. A presentation with current plans was shared with stakeholders that showed example photos of restored conditions. A set of Goals and Objectives have been adopted for the project. While the dam site is owned by the State of Michigan, the Friends are coordinating engineering work, grants, and regulatory approvals. Currently, we have an application pending with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

Watch ABC 12 coverage on removal and restoration.

Shiatown Dam Update

Fri, 25 Mar 2016 15:28:18 GMT

After decades of danger, the Shiatown dam is moving toward removal in 2016. The Friends of the Shiawassee River have been working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and several stakeholders to restore the Shiawassee River at the site of the former dam, improve the habitat for fish and other wildlife, and enhance recreational opportunities at Shiatown Park.

Watch ABC 12 coverage on removal and restoration.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River recently held an informational meeting to share the current project status and gather public input. Stakeholders from state and local government, property owners, and paddlers provided input. After approvals, removal of dam remnants is planned to begin in July, with complete restoration likely by September. In addition, Shiawassee County is updating their plans for Shiatown Park. After the river restoration is complete, improvements to the Park will then be possible.

Shiatown Dam History: 1840-2016

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 15:24:30 GMT

The Shiatown Dam has been a community landmark in Shiawassee County for more than a century. Over the years, the structure and its adjacent millpond have served a variety of functions, from power generation to recreation to wildlife habitat. While these uses have evolved over time, the site has remained a well-known feature in Shiawassee County. As with any building or structure, time took its toll on the Shiatown Dam. The structure has not produced power or been regularly maintained for over 50 years. In 2010, the dam was ordered to be repaired or removed, and work began in the region to resolve the challenges this presented, to develop plans, and identify funding to bring this community vision to fruition.

A dam was first built at this site in 1840 and replaced with a hydroelectric dam in 1904. Consumer’s Power Company acquired the dam in 1911, raised it height and expanded the impoundement; they operated the dam as a power facility until 1955. Ownership then passed to Shiawassee and Vernon Townships.

Shiawassee County became the owner of the damsite in 1965 and operated the dam as a recreational facility. During this time, the impoundment hosted hydroplane races, and the County Park was more fully developed.

From 1973 to 1976 improvements were made to the dam and spillway and new wooden gates were added to control impoundment levels. In 1974 there was a flood event that nearly caused the failure of the dam embankment. In 1981, another flood event almost resulted in the overtopping of the dam. In 1985 and 1986, the County removed the wooden gates to reduce the amount of water storage behind the dam and the level of the impoundment dropped.

The County sold the dam as real property to a hydroelectric power company in 1986, and four separate companies tried, unsuccessfully, to find an economically feasible use for the dam. During the next 13 years of private ownership, there is no documentation of any dam maintenance.

In 1988, a 13 year-old boy drowned at the dam; it was reportedly the fifth drowning in 20 years.

In 1999, the dam reverted to the State of Michigan for failure to pay property taxes.

Another flood event in 2001 again almost resulted in the failure of the dam. A 75-foot trench was dug as an emergency spillway and sandbags were added on the embankment. Subsequently, the Department of Natural Resources spends $68,000 for repairs.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality conducted a safety inspection in 2010 and concluded that the dam was in poor condition and could become structurally unstable and fail. It ordered the owner of the dam, the State of Michigan, to undertake immediate repairs and/or begin removal.

In 2011, the State of Michigan asked the Friends of the Shiawassee River to become the local liaison to help assess options for dam removal and restoration of the site.

In May 2012, a 12 year-old girl drowned in the area below the dam apron in an 18-foot deep scour hole.

In the fall of 2012 partial dam removal began with funds from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Phase I). The dam was lowered to within 4 feet of the river bed elevation, and the hole below the dam apron was partially filled with concrete rubble. The enlarged opening and lowered profile of the dam was enough to permit run-of-the river flow levels even at flood stage, thus reducing the risk of dam failure.

In 2013, the Friends of the Shiawassee River received additional funding from the Michigan DNR and the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network to further assess the site, do additional work to minimize safety concerns, restore fish passage, and begin restoration of the river at the damsite (Phase II).

In 2014, An advisory group of local officials was established to work with the Friends of the Shiawassee River, state representatives, and consulting engineers to review and develop plans for dam removal, river restoration, and park improvements. Shiawassee County Commission grants approval for access to the site and endorses dam removal project. Meetings held with surrounding property owners.

In 2015, an Aquatic Habitat Restoration Grant was awarded from the Michigan DNR to assist in rehabilitation of the river at the site of the Shiatown dam (Phase III). Plans for removal (Phase II) were revised to better restore the river and support healthy fish populations and other habitat improvements.

In the fall of 2015, the stakeholders group met with consulting engineers and state officials to design a comprehensive project. In addition, Shiawassee County began an update of its County Parks Plan and improvements were proposed for Shiatown Park that would take advantage of the recreational opportunities made possible by dam removal and site restoration.

Coalition Seeks National Water Trail Designation for Shiawassee River

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 16:18:31 GMT

A water trail for the length of the Shiawassee? We're exploring the possibility!

On Tuesday, March 8th, over a dozen people gathered at Baker College of Owosso to meet with Barbara Nelson-Jameson (a trails planner with the National Park Service) to discuss forming a coalition for the purpose of seeking National Water Trail designation for the Shiawassee River from its headwaters in Holly to the Shiawassee Flats within the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw Township.

Friends Celebrate River Champions and Set Ambitious Agenda for 2016

Mon, 22 Feb 2016 16:21:57 GMT

If you wanted to revel in all the good things happening on the Shiawassee River, the place to be was the Wrought Iron Grill in Owosso this past Tuesday night. The Friends welcomed new staff and board member, celebrated exceptional volunteers and their 20 year history of Caring, Sharing and Enjoying the Shiawassee River.

The Friends welcomed Lance Omer to the board and introduced Lauri Elbing, our new executive director, and Sarah Baker, our new Stream Team Coordinator, to the membership. We also welcomed Tiffany Cooper, a digital media design intern from Baker College. The Friends are building the necessary capacity to strengthen and expand the reach of the programs and the mission that has guided us for these past 20 years.

Two board members stepped down, but pledged to stay involved with the Friends: Larry Johnson of Owosso and Nancy Krause of Chesaning. For each of us it is a labor of love, and we are grateful for their dedication and service to the Friends and to our watershed.

New Launch in Byron

Mon, 22 Feb 2016 15:51:09 GMT

The Village of Byron's Downtown Development Authority has embraced the Shiawassee River as a recreational and economic asset. With the help of the Friends of the Shiawassee River, and with funding from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN), a canoe/kayak launch has been built adjacent to downtown Byron.

The Shiawassee River gains size as it flow through Byron, where the south branch joins the main stem just upstream from the Village. The stretch from Byron to the Walnut Hills Campground is one of the more wild and beautiful sections of the river. Recently volunteers cleared downed trees from this area of the river, further improving access and use of this natural resource.

The new launch is just south of the Maple Street (Bath Road) bridge and is tucked away behind several ball diamonds. The land was donated by the Byron Area School District, which has also recognized the value of the Shiawassee River. A nature trail has been developed near the new launch site, and the Friends of the Shiawassee River has been working with local classes to conduct volunteer water quality sampling.

The launch was built by several volunteers, most notably Rob Vandermark and Ric Crawford who donated their time and use of equipment. Friends member Phil Hathaway led up the effort, using a design that has been successfully installed in several other public parks in Shiawassee County. “We’re excited that the Village of Byron is working with these great partners to formalize this site along the beautiful Shiawassee River”, said Mike Kelly of the Conservation Fund, the coordinator of Saginaw Bay WIN, the project funder.

Oil Spill Update

Sat, 12 Dec 2015 15:54:55 GMT

The US Environmental Protection Agency has been working diligently to clean up the Thanksgiving Day oil spill in the Shiawassee watershed (see previous post below). The size of the "Wade Road Oil Spill" is now estimated to be between 500-1000 gallons (up from an initial estimate of 300 gallons of oil). The source of the spill has been identified and the responsible party has assumed all costs for the emergency response and cleanup. As of Thursday, December 3rd, these costs are more than $80,000. The the US Department of Environmental Protection is overseeing the cleanup, which will continue until they determine it to be complete.

A contract crew of 25 people have been cleaning up about 3 miles of the Miner Drain in Owosso Township between Mason and King Roads. The waterway connects to the State Road Drain and then the Shiawassee River; however the oil was contained before it reached the River. Clean-up has consisted of using absorbent booms and a vacuum truck to remove oil from the waterway, as well as an excavator to remove contaminated soil. Oiled vegetation has been removed by equipment and hand from several miles of the drain.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River thank all the workers who given up their holiday weekend to protect the Shiawassee River. We extend our appreciation to the local, state, and federal officials who have worked to contain this spill, learn about the source of the pollution to prevent a re-occurrence, and restore this portion of the Shiawassee watershed.

Shiawassee River Safe From Thanksgiving Day Oil Spill

Mon, 07 Dec 2015 18:00:00 GMT

The Friends Commend Quick Action by Local Hunter to Report Oil Spill in Shiawassee County Drain and Prompt Response by Local, State and Federal Government to Contain and Cleanup the Spill.

A Thanksgiving Day oil spill has been contained and clean-up is now underway. An estimated 300 gallons of oil were found by a hunter in the State Road Drain above Wilkinson Road west of Owosso. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality authorities were notified and Owosso Township Fire Department with help from Shiawassee County Emergency Management were able to stop the flow of oil before it reached the Shiawassee River. The US Environmental Protection Agency is now completing a clean-up. The source of the spill has not yet been identified. The Friends regularly survey the State Road drain below the site of the spill; the most recent Stream Team sampling gave the quality of the tributary an "excellent" rating. Thank you to the observant hunter and the many public officials who worked, and continue to work, to protect the environment of the Shiawassee River.

Early reporting led to the successful response to contain the oil before it got very far downstream. We commend and encourage such vigilance to protect our resources. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality "PEAS" (Pollution Emergency Alert System) is a 24 hour hotline for reporting spills or polluting releases. In case of environmental emergency you can call 800-292-4706 and help protect our Shiawassee River.

NCG Adopts

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:04:05 GMT

On a sunny day – the last day of summer - the Friends of the Shiawassee River (Friends) gathered along our river in downtown Owosso to announce a new initiative that will help ramp up and sustain the Friends’ efforts to clean and monitor stretches of our waterway as well as promote all the fun to be had out on our river. The Adopt-A-River program garners sponsorships from local businesses and organizations in the form of funding and volunteer opportunities. Neighborhood Cinema Group Cinema (NCG), a chain of movie theaters founded and headquartered in Owosso, Michigan, made the first commitment to the Adopt-a-River program.

"I’m so glad Brad Kirkland approached me to be a part of the Adopt-A-River program. I was born and raised here in Owosso, and grew up fishing and kayaking on this river, playing football down that way, going to the Curwood Festival," said Jeff Geiger, president of NCG Cinemas. "We are proud to be able to be a part of this program and help the Friends. The hard work is done by all the people involved in this organization and we’re happy to help support that work."

Josh Adams, director of Owosso Main Street and a Friends of the Shiawassee River board member, thanked NCG Cinemas and the Geiger family for stepping up and leading the way on the Adopt-A-River program. “Sometimes the river gets overlooked, but a clean river is a key component to a vital downtown,” said Adams. “Not only for the sights and sounds, but for the recreational opportunities it offers residents and visitors. At Main Street we have a saying, ‘Together we can do more’ and I think that is the important part of the Adopt-A-River Program. It creates an opportunity for the community to come together around one of our community’s treasures.”

“On behalf of the Friends of the Shiawassee board and membership, I want to thank Jeff Geiger and the whole NCG family for this generous gift,” said Lauri Elbing, executive director of the Friends of the Shiawassee River. “Building on the Friends’ suite of education, cleanup, and water quality monitoring programs, as well as promotion of fishing and kayaking, NCG’s commitment -- and the others that follow -- will help unleash the potential of our mission and activities. Our Shiawassee River is a little piece of up-north right here in our back yard.”

Business can become an Adopt-A-River sponsor for a commitment of $2,000 for two years ($4,000 total). Non-profit organizations or service clubs can also become a sponsor for $1,000 for two years ($2,000 total) with a commitment to help maintain their stretch.

For more information about the Friends of the Shiawassee River or the Adopt-A-River, contact the Friends’ Executive Director Lauri Elbing at (989)723-9062, info@shiawasseeriver.org. You can also visitwww.shiawasseeriver.org to sign up for our newsletters and LIKE the Friends on Facebook. You may also invite Lauri Elbing to be a guest speaker at your event to help Care, Share and Enjoy our Shiawassee River.

Friends of the Shiawassee River News

Kayak Raffe, get your tickets now!

Friends of the Shiawassee River 28th Annual River Cleanup

Third Annual Shiawassee Triathlon (Shi-Tri) “A Wonderful Event!”

FRIENDS OF THE SHIAWASSEE RIVER WELCOME NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

2022 – A YEAR IN REVIEW

MDHHS Eat Safe Fish Guide

Second Annual Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” A Huge Success

Second Annual Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi-Tri” on May 22, 2022

Shiatown Dam Removal Project Completion Commemoration Ceremony April 29, 2022

SHIATOWN DAM RESTORATION REFORESTATION PROJECT

More sturgeon to be released into Saginaw Bay Watershed during public events on Aug. 20

Friends of the Shiawassee River Announces New Executive Director

Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” - A Huge Success

First-Ever Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” on Sunday, May 23rd

Rebecca Huska Joins Friends’ Staff

First-Ever Shiawassee Triathlon “Shi~Tri” to be Held Sunday, May 23rd

Shiawassee River designated as a “National Water Trail” by the U.S. National Park Service

Friends Endorse Prop 1

Friends’ Annual River Cleanup Event Will Look Different

Brianna Carroll Joins Friends’ Board of Directors

First-Ever Shiawassee Triathlon Postponed Until 2021

"History of the Shiawassee River" - For Sale!

Friends’ 2020 Care, Share, and Enjoy Awards

We Reached Our #GivingTuesday Goal!

We Did It, we reached our goal! A HUGE thank you to each of our donors!

Friends Receives Grant to Conduct Public Education Programs

Sturgeon Release in Chesaning

2019 River Cleanup Best Yet

Saginaw Bay Sturgeon Release

Update on Shiatown Dam Removal - July 2019

Kayak Raffle News

Consumers Energy Foundation Grant Received by Friends

2019 Annual Meeting and Celebration

Shiawassee River is Designated as a State Water Trail

FRIENDS OF THE SHIAWASSEE RIVER APPOINTS “NEW” EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

# Giving Tuesday Goal Reached

Thanks for helping us reach our #GivingTuesday goal!

We're Officially in Our New Office!

2018 Shiawassee River Clean Up

Join us for River Cleanup 2018

KAYAK RAFFLE “LAUNCHED” BY FRIENDS OF THE SHIAWASSEE RIVER

Corunna Wins Grant to Begin Dam Restoration

Friends Purchase First HQ: Seeking Remodel Assistance

Final Part of Michigan’s Water Strategy Released Today in Owosso

CLICK HERE to read more about the Water Strategy

Johnson’s Dedication to River Encompasses Decades

Friends' 20th Birthday Party Fun & Festive!

CLICK HERE to VOLUNTEER SATURDAY, AUGUST 13th, for the 21st Annual River Cleanup & Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

LIKE us on Facebook!

2016 Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and Friends 20th Birthday Party

THANK YOU!

2016 Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup and Friends 20th Birthday Party

THANK YOU!

Kayak Raffle “Launched” by Friends of the Shiawassee River

King Street Woods Planting Day

Saturday, May 21st at 9:00 am

Memorial Healthcare Main Campus – West of the Emergency Department Entrance

Two Upcoming Friends’ Events Support Health and Enjoyment of the Shiawassee River along Memorial Healthcare’s Riverbank

Owosso Rotary Shows They Care; Adopts Shiawassee River

Shiatown Dam Public Meeting Recap

Shiatown Dam Update

Shiatown Dam History: 1840-2016

Coalition Seeks National Water Trail Designation for Shiawassee River

Friends Celebrate River Champions and Set Ambitious Agenda for 2016

New Launch in Byron

Oil Spill Update

Shiawassee River Safe From Thanksgiving Day Oil Spill

NCG Adopts

Saturday, May 21^st at 9:00 am