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The River
Fly Fishing on the Boardman River
The Boardman River main stem is located in Grand Traverse and Kalkaska Counties and flows approximately 49 miles before entering West Grand Traverse Bay at Traverse City, Michigan.
The proposed project consists of removal of four dams on the Boardman River: the Union Street Dam at river mile 1.5, Sabin Dam at 5.3, Boardman Dam at 6.1, and Brown Bridge Dam at 18.5.
The Boardman River is one of Michigan’s top-ten fishieres, with more than 36 of its 179 miles designated as a Blue Ribbon trout fishery. It is also a state-designated “Natural River.” View the Boardman River Natural River Plan for more details.
The Boardman’s 287-square-mile watershed contributes one-third of the water volume of Grand Traverse Bay.
The river hosts 2 million recreational user-days annually.
There are four dams and impoundments on the river in Grand Traverse County: Sabin Dam, Brown Bridge Dam, Boardman Dam and Union Street Dam.
For more information about the river, visit the Boardman River Project, managed by the Grand Traverse Conservation District.
Photo courtesy Grand Traverse Conservation District
