Volunteers clear path for Hart-Pentwater Kayak Trail

This past spring, one project proposed to the Pentwater Service Club captivated the mind of club member John Faas. Although the suggestion was not adopted by the entire club, Faas was motivated to gather a group of interested club volunteers to pursue the goal of clearing a kayak path in the South Branch of the Pentwater River from Hart to Pentwater.

Faas said, “When I moved here 10 years ago, I tried to kayak down the river with a friend and found trees in the way. I attempted to remove the trees myself, but it was impossible. For the last year and a half, I’ve been trying to organize a group to work on it. I’m so glad others cooperated to make it happen.” His group of volunteers teamed up with a similar group of interested volunteers from the Pentwater Lake Association. The river clearance work took place on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Significant preliminary work had to be accomplished before the actual river cleanup could be done. A scouting group needed to traverse the projected path to determine how many obstructions existed in the river and to determine how difficult it would be to remove or manage them. All the riparians along the riverbank would need to be informed of the proposed project and asked to grant river access where it was required. Proper equipment had to be found for dealing with the logjams and a strategy for organizing the volunteers had to be devised. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources needed to be contacted for input and instruction.

The enthusiasm of the volunteers propelled them through all the necessary steps and along the way captured the support of community officials who asked, “What can we do to help you?” Efforts were strengthened by Mike Stevens from Oceana Bike and Boat Rentals, David Gregwer from the Oceana Sheriff’s Office, City of Hart Community and Economic Development Director Nichole Kleiner and DNR Fisheries Biologist Mark Tonnello.

The scouting team found 18 logjams obstructing the path, the majority of which were on property owned by riparian Doug Irvine, whose land includes 3,000 feet of river frontage. Irvine granted the group access to the river from his property. None of the riparians contacted had objections to the project, and some volunteered to help with the work. Although a concern had been expressed about the possibility of trespassing, Faas responded with assurance that “kayakers as a group are very good at staying in their kayaks and protecting the environment.… Even though most of the river frontage is private land, future plans call for identifying public land where individuals can get out to stretch or take a lunch break.” Rich Pugsley from the Pentwater Lake Association assumed responsibility for communicating with everyone involved and called for an organizational meeting on September 11 at the Hart Community Center. 

The DNR sent a very helpful publication titled “Woody Debris Management 101 Clean and Open Method.” This document discourages complete removal of logjams on the basis of studies that have shown “that properly managed logjams help reduce erosion, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, and are an important part of a river system’s natural processes… The Clean and Open Method was developed to give guidance on how to manage logjams, preserving the benefits they provide while minimizing the problems they create.” The suggested strategy was to cut a 5’ opening through the logjam for kayak passage while leaving the remaining woody structure in place. The material removed would be disposed of or placed along the riverbank. The process required no permits.

Thirteen volunteers were organized into three teams who met early Wednesday morning at the Hart Dam. Mike Schiller, the hydro-dam manager, granted river access to the volunteers and their equipment. Equipment included kayaks, a flat-bottom boat, chainsaws, and other assorted tools. Team one, led by Mike Stevens, was assigned to work from the Hart Dam to the Boondock Ridge. Team two, led by John Faas, was assigned to work on the multiple logjams on Boondock Ridge. Team three, led by Tom Walter, was assigned to logistical support of the work by teams one and two. The goal was to complete the project before the end of the day. However, the group found additional obstructions, found the challenges to be more difficult than they anticipated and they encountered some equipment problems. 

When the work was halted about 4 p.m., there were still five obstructions to clear. Rich Pugsley said, “I really appreciated the help from Doug Irvine and Goeff Hansen who helped us get our equipment in and out of the river on their property. I was extremely encouraged by the number of people who volunteered their time and energy to the project. In the past, several individuals were interested in clearing the river for kayaks, but there were not enough people to carry out the work. We aim to finish this on September 28 and then put a photo album online of the whole project.”

Since the river is always moving, the group realizes that clearing obstructions is a task to be done repeatedly and anticipates the project to be required twice annually – every spring and fall. Once there is an understanding of the efforts involved, the work can be streamlined. The group is also hopeful that when the recreational space surrounding the Hart Dam is further developed in the near future, it may be possible for the plans to include a new kayak launch.