Watershed Summary

This planning phase consists of the North Branch, Upper South Branch, and Lower South Branch of the Thunder Bay River, and will compliment planning efforts underway for the Main Branch of the Thunder Bay River.  Many local groups have been actively involved in protecting and enhancing the watershed, including the Thunder Bay River Watershed Council, Thunder Bay Audubon Society, and the Hubbard Lake Sportsmen & Improvement Association.  Some of the known pollutants that have been documented in past studies include sedimentation and nutrient runoff from cattle access and crop production, urban runoff, storm water runoff, and sedimentation and pollutants resulting from road stream crossings.  Northeast Michigan is experiencing growth, primarily in retirement and second homes.  As development increases within the watershed, so do nonpoint sources of pollution.  The goal of the plan is to develop a DEQ-approved watershed plan to correct existing sources of pollution and prevent future impacts from occurring.

MDEQ Nonpoint Source Links

• Thunder Bay River Watershed Planning Project: North and South Tributaries fact sheet (200 KB PDF)

(A current version of Adobe Reader  or Adobe Acrobat may be needed to open PDF documents.)  

Watershed Websites

• Northeast Michigan Council of Governments (NEMCOG)
• Great Lakes Commission

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