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The Big Manistee River Watershed
The Big Manistee River includes 250 miles of mainstem, has over a 100 tributaries, and drains 1,800 square miles. The Manistee flows through 7 counties and into Manistee Lake that is connected to Lake Michigan. The Big Manistee River has 2 hydropower dams, including Hodenpyl and Tippy Dams owned by Consumers Energy. Portions of the tributaries and Upper River are recognized as Michigan Natural Rivers and Blue Ribbon Trout Streams, and the river flows through the Huron-Manistee National Forest. Lake Sturgeon and pugnose shiner are two threatened fish species found in the Manistee. Downstream of Tippy Dam, the river is heavily fished for salmon and steelhead.
Water quality and habitat improvement projects are managed by the Upper Manistee River Restoration Committee and the Lower Manistee River Watershed Restoration Committee; both committees were developed under partnerships of a variety of private, state, federal, local and tribal entities.