Watch out for trees, woody debris in waterways following northern Michigan ice storm

DNR warns paddlers, anglers to keep eye out in affected northern Michigan counties

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources advises anglers, paddlers and boaters to use caution when navigating waterways in areas affected by the late-March ice storm. New obstructions, such as fallen trees and branches, may be present in rivers and streams in the 12-county disaster area encompassing Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle counties.

While fallen trees and branches are natural and expected in bodies of water, the effects of the severe ice storm in northern Michigan mean that significant additional woody debris may be present in water in the affected area. This increased woody debris may impact navigation in rivers or streams.

Trees, branches and other woody debris are important for healthy aquatic ecosystems, providing shelter to fish and creating the meanders (bends and turns) in streams that result in different types of fish habitat – such as deep pools or undercuts that provide cover for trout, and slack water behind debris where the flow is slower and fish can rest.

Woody debris also creates beneficial environments for the macroinvertebrates that fish eat. Although the ice storm was destructive in many ways, the additional trees and woody debris in the area rivers and streams are an aspect of the storm that will benefit fish, along with insects, amphibians and other wildlife.

While beneficial to fish, the downed trees and woody debris can make wading or paddling challenging. When navigating a river or stream in the 12-county disaster area, remember:

• A person may enter property (public or private) alongside the stream to portage (navigate around obstacles in the waterway by land). When entering private land, stay close to the riverbank and immediately reenter the river after walking around the obstruction.
• If portaging is not possible, remove the minimum amount of wood. The portion cleared should not exceed 8 feet in width. On slow-moving streams, the cleared width should be limited to 6 feet or less.
• Only remove as much wood as necessary if needed to boat, fish or swim.
• Any wood removal should be conducted using hand-held tools that do not disturb the streambed.

Landowner permission is required to remove trees that are connected to the shoreline or ground. For any woody debris removal that would disturb the streambed, a permit from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is required. Permits are also required to remove large logjams or beaver dams.

For Michigan’s designated Natural Rivers, a DNR permit is required for the removal of any embedded wood or vegetation below the ordinary high-water mark for navigation purposes. Designated Natural Rivers in the area affected by the ice storm include the Au Sable, Jordan, Manistee and Pigeon rivers.

For more information on the ongoing storm cleanup/recovery effort, visit the DNR’s storm recovery webpage.

Accompanying photos, all courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources, are available below for download. Caption information follows:

There is a significant increase in trees and woody debris in the rivers and streams of northern Michigan as a result of the March 2025 ice storm.

• Little Pigeon River storm damage1
• Little Pigeon River storm damage2

An example of underwater woody debris that can provide places for fish to hide and rest in slack water, where the current isn't as strong.

• Woody debris