Kawkawlin River Access Improvements Planned for Steih Park

MONITOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP-Thanks to a recently awarded $269,400 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Development Grant, plans are currently being prepared for several improvements at Herbert W. Steih Memorial Park.

Steih Park is located on Monitor Road at the north end of Monitor Charter Township and sits along 305 feet of the Kawkawlin River, spanning 1.24 acres. It is one of only two unimproved public access points along the entire river and is heavily used to launch canoes, kayaks, and small boats.

“The Park is located in Monitor Charter Township, but really, it is a regional destination since it is the only primary access point along the entire river,” Mike Kelly, Director at The Conservation Fund, said.

The decision to implement much-needed upgrades at the park came from a partnership between The Conservation Fund and Monitor Charter Township with the goal of increasing public access to the Kawkawlin River. Renovating Steih Park and improving ease of access to the river was identified by the community as a priority and is highlighted in the Township’s Recreation Master Plan. Spicer Group assisted the Township and the Conservation Fund with developing a conceptual plan and estimated costs for the project, which were initially used in the grant application process.

“The funding and overall goals for Steih Park were put together by a great team of individuals who want the town improved,” said Terry Spencer, Monitor Charter Township Supervisor.

Businesses, partners, and individual donors were able to raise over $180,000 locally for this project. The required MNRTF grant match was fulfilled by contributions from the Bay Area Community Foundation, Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network, East Michigan Council of Governments, Enbridge, and Monitor Charter Township.

Spicer Group was then hired by the Township to provide professional services for the improvements of Steih Park including grant administration, topographical survey, design, permitting for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), bidding, and construction administration for the project.

The park serves as an access point for the Saginaw Bay Blueways, which is a designated water trail providing public access to various wildlife areas and points of interest along the western coast of the Saginaw Bay. Included in this network of waterways are other major rivers that are utilized by kayakers, canoers, and boats to travel to and from the Bay. The Blueways Trail also bridges a gap between the Thumb Water Trail starting at the Quanicassee River on the southern most point of the Saginaw Bay.

“The Kawkawlin River is one of the important waterways on the Blueways Trail, along with several others which consist of the AuGres, Rifle, and Saginaw Rivers,” said Tanya Moore, Project Manager for Spicer Group.

Steih Park is also a popular spot for fishermen as the Kawkawlin River is home to perch, walleye, bluegill, green sunfish, northern pike, and largemouth bass. However, many fishermen have experienced issues with the eroding riverbank. This is partly because Steih Park is located on a bend in the river which suffers from major erosion along the shoreline. The erosion has made it a challenge to safely fish and launch boats from the shoreline.

Renovations to the park include a concrete ramp to serve as a canoe and kayak launch, improving the existing paved ramp used to launch small boats, and installation of multiple stepped access points for fishing. There will also be a new pavilion, a porta-john structure, new picnic tables, an interpretive sign, and benches.

“Landscaping will be done as well and will include a bioswale with native plants to convey and filter stormwater runoff,” Moore said. “We will also be adding in some new trees and relocating some of the smaller vegetation to other areas of the park.”

Improvements will be made to the existing parking lot, and new walkways will be added through the park. This will help improve universal accessibility throughout the park for visitors of all abilities.

“Kawkawlin residents, and those who live close by know about the park. But not others living further out in Monitor Charter Township. We hope that the new renovations bring more people to this location to enjoy the outdoors,” Spencer said.

Efforts to reduce erosion and stabilize the riverbank will be completed using heavy rip-rap stones placed along the riverbank. The rip-rap will blend in with the new stepped fishing access areas. The rip-rap will also include fish lunkers to provide and improve fish habitat along the shoreline.

Lunkers are a popular riverbank restoration choice because they also double as habitat improvement for fish. Fish are able to use the lunkers as a hiding and resting area near the shoreline. They are normally placed in an area that is deeper which provides an ideal place to fish for gamefish. Since the lunkers are generally made from wood, stone, or another natural resource, they don’t create any environmental disturbance and can last for many years without ever needing to be replaced.

Construction for the Steih Park is scheduled to begin in 2023.