Michigan WRP Photographs

Sanilac County, Michigan - "Minden City Bog"

The photographs on this page are from the Mullett Muck Farm Restoration project in Sanilac County, Michigan. The project consists of 836 acres under a 30-year WRP easement. Following the WRP easement acquisition, the State of Michigan purchased fee title ownership. Ducks Unlimited assisted with the project planning, design and implementation of the wetland restoration work. The project is now a viable part of a 10,000 acre wetland complex called the "Minden City Bog."

In this aerial view, serpentine channels, on the 80 acres on the right side of the photo, have been laid out using two passes with a 40 foot disk. The serpentine channel design was chosen to mimic the natural river channels that criss-crossed this area before it was ditched, tiled, and laser leveled.

In this aerial view, the serpentine channels have been pushed out exposing the dark organic soil. The work was completed using a D6-Low Ground Pressure Cat with a 15 foot, 6-way blade. The channels are two to four feet deep and 60 to 80 feet in width. There are over 50,000 linear feet of channel on the property. The small shallow water wildlife habitat areas, or "pushouts" are 1/4 to 1/2 acre in size, irregular in shape, and are two to five feet in depth. There are over 120 "push-outs" on the property. After the earth work was completed there were over 140 tile breaks made to complete the hydrological restoration.

Only three weeks after restoration the serpentine channels began to fill. These serpentine channels provide corridors of open water throughout the restoration area and greatly increase the amount of shore line available to wading birds. Although this wetland restoration project is only in its infancy, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has reported heavy usage by migrating waterfowl.

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