On November 2, 2023, the dam operator submitted a report to FERC on the turbidity readings the operator’s contractor had observed while they were doing maintenance on the dam that included the following two statements: “6) Since Boyne began monitoring turbidity on June 23, 2023, there have been no instances in which turbidity has been demonstrated to be at or above the threshold for which the EGLE requires mitigation (50 NTU above background level). 7) Turbidity has been trending downward since the completion of drawdown in June and is now always under 5 NTU, even during periods of significant rainfall and resulting high flows.” They also made the statement that they never saw an NTU reading of greater than 40 NTU at any time – even during times of high water flow.
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Following is a chart the FoBR has created showing 230 turbidity readings they took between June 3, 2024 and June 25, 2024. None of these readings were taken immediately after a large rain event. We would point out that prior to 4:45 p.m. on June 4, the average readings we observed were 5.76 NTU. That is not far from the readings that the operator reported in November of 2023 for all of the summer of 2023. However, during the day of June 4, 2024, the operator withheld water behind the dam, and sometime between 1:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. they opened the gates and released sediment that had been trapped behind the dam. They then apparently left the gates open and they left for the evening. The onslaught of sediment quickly made its way down the river where it was first observed in Boyne City at around 4:00 p.m. The FoBR immediately went to a recording station halfway up the river where the 4:45 p.m. records were taken. The FoBR then went up to the dam and began taking turbidity readings at 5:20 p.m. until 6:26 p.m. The turbidity was rising as the readings went on. At no time were the turbidity readings as low as 40 NTU, which the dam operator had stated was the upper limit during their actual maintenance the previous summer – and they had observed that only during or immediately after high rain events. On June 4, 2024, the FoBR stopped recording after an hour, when the readings were already reaching 120 NTU, well beyond the level that the operator acknowledged would require mitigation. The operator also obviously took no steps to monitor the pollution. There had been no rain that day, and the FoBR had taken readings earlier in the afternoon of June 4 where the readings were between 2.5 and 5.19 NTU. The FoBR had also noted the decreased stream flow while they were taking those measurements. The level of the river was about 9 inches higher 3 hours later. Following that pollution episode on June 4, the river never had a reading below 6 NTU until July 4. The highest reading the operator ever reported while they were doing maintenance in 2023 was 8.57. The AVERAGE reading after June 4, 2024, was 13.84 – over half again as large as the maximum value they reported in all of 2023! What was the difference in the maintenance the dam operator did in June of 2024 – versus the maintenance the dam operator completed last year – that created the lasting damage to the Boyne River? Why didn’t the operator monitor the sediment release? Did they even bother to report the sediment release to EGLE? Most importantly, why wasn’t the dam operating “run of river” as had been required?
It is very difficult for many to understand why there is so much concern for a dam of this age/stature. It seems less plausible to invest millions of dollars in a failing structure to maintain minimal electricity when Consumers Power is looking to sell 13 of the largest Hydro power facilities in Michigan. There are many issues with the hydro facility and privatizing public trust waters on the Boyne River. This is just one part of many chapters to follow. In the mean time, here is the link to sign on to prevent Re-Licensing the Hydro Facility.
There is some great information on the Michigan Hydro Coalition Page.
Please Share, help Friends of the Boyne River get the word out to your local Trout Unlimited Chapter, Watershed Council, State Representative, DNR/EGLE. Many of these conservation groups main function is to advocacy and reform, this is why we are members to actually stand up and do the right thing for the watershed.