The Buckhorn Creek dam removal and bridge project is complete after about five months of work.

Just north of Paris, Michigan, the creek is now connected to 2.4 miles of cold-water habitat in the Muskegon River. Travelers on the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail can also cross the creek on a 90-foot bridge.

“When we stress-tested the new channel, there were trout and other large fish literally waiting there to swim upstream,” said Paul Haan, executive director of the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly. “It was an incredible sight and a testament to how important it is to restore stream function and connectivity throughout the watershed. The project also creates a new way for people to experience Buckhorn Creek.”

The project cost about $2.2 million and was made possible through collaboration with the Mecosta County Parks Commission, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Friends of the White Pine Trail and others, with significant philanthropic funding from the Meijer, Wege and Walters family foundations.

The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA) is inviting the public to a ribbon-cutting from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Interested volunteers can also collect stream samples and plant vegetation Saturday, Sept. 26. For more information, visit mrwa.org/events.

_{Photo courtesy of the MRWA.}