The habitat restoration site is located in Thunder Bay, Lake Huron, near Alpena, Michigan. Nearly 50 years of cement kiln dust (CKD) deposition, a waste

by-product of cement production, has resulted in aquatic habitat loss to the near shore areas around the naturally occurring CKD Pile Reef (see map on back). In 2002, the pile of CKD onshore was capped and a revetment wall was installed along the lakeshore to prevent further erosion of CKD into the water.

Aquatic habitat loss has meant a decrease in potential spawning areas for fish species such as lake trout, lake whitefish, and walleye; a decrease in habitat for prey species and macroinvertebrates;

and a loss of refuge areas for fish eggs and fry.

The project site is located within the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS). Mapping by Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) identified suitable locations for placement of reef

material, and coordination with TBNMS ensured no historic artifacts were impacted. Two years of pre-construction monitoring was conducted and post-construction monitoring began in 2011.

Potential Outcomes• Improvespawninghabitatandreproductionof

lake trout, lake whitefish, and walleye.

• Enhancerestorationofself-sustaininglaketroutpopulations.

• Providehabitatattractivetosmallmouthbassandother native benthic species.

• Createamodelforreefdesignthatwillguidesimilar restoration projects in the Great Lakes.

• Increaselocalfishingopportunitiesandsupportlocal recreational industries including charter fishing and tourism.

Project PlanWork is being conducted in four phases.

Phase 1 – Evaluate condition of the natural and impacted reefs; measure abundance of lake trout and lake whitefish spawning adults, eggs, and fry (2009-2011).

Phase 2 – Determine best placement of artificial reefs to attract spawning fish (2009-2011).

Phase 3 – Construct artificial reefs in two stages (2010-2011).

Phase 4 – Assess lake trout and lake whitefish spawning and monitor the abundance of adult, eggs, and fry on the natural and artificial reefs (2011-2015).

Thunder Bay Reef Habitat RestorationLake Huron, Alpena County, Michigan

Project Goals(1) Create 1.5 acres of new

spawning habitat (artifical reefs) in Thunder Bay.

(2) Enhance reproductive success of reef spawning fish such as lake trout, lake whitefish, and walleye.

Reef ConstructionThe constructed reefs are located about 3,200 feet offshore of the CKD Pile adjacent to two naturally occurring reefs that are known to attract spawning lake trout and lake whitefish. Reefs were built with local crushed limestone varying in size from 6 to 18 inches.

Stage 1 – Eight small ‘pilot’ artificial reefs were constructed in 2010 to begin an evaluation of spawning activity. • Reefsare30feetindiameterby

9 feet tall.

• Monitoringwellswereinstalledatsixreefs to measure water quality and temperature.

Stage 2 – Twenty-four functional prototype reefs were constructed in 2011, allowing for reef height and orientation comparisons.• Reefsare8feetwideattop,5or10

feet high, 75 feet long; four reefs were built with ramps.

• ReefshaveaNW-SEorNE-SWorientation.

An additional reef, 5 feet high by 300 feet long, was also constructed at the toe of the CKD Pile array.

Project FundingThis project is led by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Remediation and Redevelopment Division with funding from the Clean Michigan Initiative Fund. The project was made possible by donations from Lafarge – Alpena Plant and the following two grants:

Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; $64,000 grant) – Funded pre-construction monitoring and one year of post construction monitoring activities (including fall spawning assessments and spring fry assessments).

Estuary Restoration Act (NOAA Estuary Habitat Restoration Program in conjunction with Army Corps of Engineers; $517,000 grant) – Funded construction of Stage 2 and post construction monitoring activities.

Web SiteFind the project at: www.michigan.gov/deq/0,4561,7-135-3311_4109_9846---,00.html OR www.uvm.edu/rsenr/thunderbay/. Web site includes angler advisories and project site mapping.

Project TeamProject LeadMichigan Department of Environmental Quality, Remediation and Redevelopment Division Janice Adams ADAMSJ1@michigan.gov 989.705.3434

ConsultantsDLZ Michigan, Inc.Natalie Dingledine ndingledine@dlz.com

University of VermontDr. Ellen Marsden ellen.marsden@uvm.edu

Project PartnersU.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit DistrictJon Imbrunone Jon.T.Imbrunone@usace.army.mil

Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division Jim Johnson JohnsonJ2@michigan.gov

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Michigan)Russ Green Russ.Green@noaa.gov

Wayne Lusardi lusardiw@michigan.gov

U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceScott Koproski Scott_Koproski@fws.gov

Adam Kowalski Adam_Kowalski@fws.gov

Lafarge – Alpena Plant The City of Alpena

Reef ConstructionDurocher MarineGary Yaklin gyaklin@durocher.biz

(see insetmap)

CKDPileReef

CementPlantReef

Alpena

Legend

Thunder Bay Shipwreck Sites

30' Diameter Reef(w/ Monitoring Well)30' Diameter Reef(no Monitoring Well)

5' Height

10' Height

Converted 30' Diameter Reef(w/Monitoring Well & Ramp)

Schematic diagram of 10-foot high reef with monitoring well and ramp. Fish images courtesty of Michigan Sea Grant

photo courtesy of NOAA/TBNMS