Bigelow Creek located in Newaygo County, Mich., is a cold water trout stream that provides a thermal refuge for the marginal Muskegon River.
The creek supports a self-sustaining population of brook and brown trout, and boasts runs of anadromous fish including coho salmon, chinook salmon and steelhead.
Trout Unlimited and partners have been working to address barriers to fish passage at road-stream crossings in the watershed. So far, four of nine priority sites have been addressed and a new ArcGIS StoryMap highlights the effort’s progress to this point.
Partners in the effort include the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, the U.S Forest Service and the Newaygo County Road Commission.
TU staffer Matthias Bonzo, a project coordinator in the Great Lakes region, built the StoryMap. Reach Bonzo at matthias.bonzo@tu.org.