Shiawassee River

Two workshops in the next few weeks will present some tools the City of Owosso can use to preserve, develop, and utilize its most vital natural resource, the Shiawassee River. Looking both backwards and forwards in history, one sees the Shiawassee River at the center of our community's economy and quality of life. Owosso started here in the 19th century because of the River, and the River again offers the community a chance to create a special sense of place in the 21st century.

The Friends of the Shiawassee River (www.shiawasseeriver.org) are offering two opportunities to help understand the ecological and economic importantce of the River. On January 14 at 5:30 p.m. at the Baker College Welcome Center, experts from the planning and engineerng firm Wade Trim will present Fish Passage and Recreation Potential on the Shiawassee which will discuss the very successful replacement of a dam in Chesaning. This act of river restoration replaced an aging dam in danger of failure with a set of scenic rock rapids (see photo below). Importantly, this change provides for the passage of walleye and other aquatic life, which improves both the environmental quality of the river and opens up large stretches for increased sport fishing. Owosso has three small dams, and Corunna has one large one, all of which are various states of disrepair. Wade-Trim will outline options for replacing these dams and enhancing the natural qualities of the Shiawassee.


The Shiawassee River as a Key Piece of Economic Development is the second important learning opportunity. Originally set for January 28, the date is now being rescheduled. The workshop will feature David Lossing, the Mayor of Linden, a small town upstream on the Shiawassee that has used the River as an asset to promote downtown development and recreation opportunities. He will highlight other mutli-jursidictional efforts in Genessee and Shiawassee County which seek to promote a green community using a blue asset, the Shiawassee River. Check in with the Friends of the River website (www.shiawasseeriver.org) for exact date and location of this meeting.

Both of these sessions will be valuable for anyone who cares about our communities, the Shiawassee River, and the life--human and aquatic--that makes good use of our most precious water resource.