Michigan creek flows freely again after century-old railroad dam is removed
A century-old dam on Buckhorn Creek in Michigan has been removed to restore natural water flow and improve aquatic habitats. The project also included the construction of a new bridge for the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail.
Why it matters
This restoration project demonstrates the intersection of infrastructure modernization and environmental conservation efforts in local communities.
More than 100 years after a dam built beneath the historic Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad disrupted the natural flow of Buckhorn Creek, the waterway is running free again, and the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail now crosses it on a new 90-foot bridge. The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA), which has led the restoration project with state, federal and local partners, will mark the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 25. The organization confirmed the event and the completion of the bridge on its website. The transformation is the culmination of years of planning around an aging dam that had become both an environmental obstacle and an infrastructure concern.A century-old barrier comes downThe Buckhorn Dam was more than a century old and had begun to deteriorate.
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