Genesee Creek
On September 14, 2006, SEWTU volunteers returned to Genesee Creek, to again work on the stream. One of our home waters, Genesee Creek was the site of an SEWTU sponsored roller mill dam removal. Since the dam removal, the stream has been making exceptional improvements, returning to its natural bottom, narrowing, and running much colder than it had while previously impounded.
At this workday, SEWTU workers split up into two crews, along with representatives and members of Carroll College. One crew worked in a high-gradient diversion channel which had been created to bypass the removed dam, and now serves as the streams actual channel. This channel had been lined with contstruction felt as part of the dam removal process. The felt had, however, become an impediment to stream flow, was obviously unnatural, and was unsightly. The first crew removed this felt -- a much more arduous task than originally thought due to streamflow, and rocks and other bank materials overlaying the felt.
A second crew was assembled to head upstream, and remove and/or relocate woody debris in the stream. This crew rearranged large wooden deadfalls, removing them from the stream's main channel to aid streamflow, yet allowing the deadfalls to remain in-stream so as to create fish aiding structure and habitat.
At the conclusion of the workday, SEWTU volunteers enjoyed a provided bratwurst lunch. All in all, this was a successful workday, and a fine chance for SEWTU members to see the progress that their sponsored dam removal had allowed at the creek.
