MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FISHERIES DIVISION Special Report Draft Grand River Assessment Scott K. Hanshue and Amy H. Harrington DRAFT GRAND RIVER ASSESSMENT October 2011 Suggested Citation Format Hanshue, S. K., and A. H. Harrington. 2011. Draft Grand River Assessment. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, Special Report , Ann Arbor. ii DRAFT GRAND RIVER ASSESSMENT October 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................iii LIST OF FIGURES...............................................................................................................................vi LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................ix LIST OF APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................xii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................xiv INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................1 RIVER ASSESSMENT .........................................................................................................................4 Geography ..........................................................................................................................................4 Headwaters .................................................................................................................................4 Upper..........................................................................................................................................4 Middle ........................................................................................................................................5 Lower..........................................................................................................................................5 Mouth .........................................................................................................................................5 History................................................................................................................................................6 Geology ............................................................................................................................................10 Hydrology.........................................................................................................................................12 Climate .........................................................................................................................................12 Headwaters ...............................................................................................................................12 Upper........................................................................................................................................12 Middle ......................................................................................................................................12 Lower........................................................................................................................................12 Mouth .......................................................................................................................................13 Annual Stream Flows ...................................................................................................................13 Seasonal Water Flow....................................................................................................................14 Headwaters and Upper .............................................................................................................16 Middle ......................................................................................................................................16 Lower........................................................................................................................................17 Mouth .......................................................................................................................................18 Daily Water Flow .........................................................................................................................18 Flooding and Floodplains.............................................................................................................19 Water Use.....................................................................................................................................21 Soils and Land Use...........................................................................................................................22 Soils..............................................................................................................................................22 Land use and Land cover..............................................................................................................23 Headwaters ...............................................................................................................................24 Upper........................................................................................................................................24 Middle ......................................................................................................................................24 Lower........................................................................................................................................25 Mouth .......................................................................................................................................25 Bridges, Culverts and Other Stream Crossings ............................................................................26 Channel Morphology........................................................................................................................27 Gradient........................................................................................................................................28 Specific Power..............................................................................................................................29 Channel Cross Section..................................................................................................................30 Headwaters ...............................................................................................................................30 Upper........................................................................................................................................31 Middle ......................................................................................................................................31 Lower........................................................................................................................................32 Mouth .......................................................................................................................................33 iii DRAFT GRAND RIVER ASSESSMENT October 2011 Dams and Barriers............................................................................................................................ 33 Headwaters............................................................................................................................... 36 Upper........................................................................................................................................ 36 Middle...................................................................................................................................... 37 Lower ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Mouth....................................................................................................................................... 41 Water Quality................................................................................................................................... 41 Overview...................................................................................................................................... 41 Point Source Pollution ................................................................................................................. 43 Nonpoint Source Pollution........................................................................................................... 43 Storm Water Control.................................................................................................................... 44 Sites of Environmental Contamination........................................................................................ 44 Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature, Nutrients, and Bacteria........................................................... 44 Headwaters............................................................................................................................... 45 Upper........................................................................................................................................ 45 Middle.....................................................................................................................................