The Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality are sponsoring a public meeting to provide a progress report and seek input on appropriate restoration goals for the Dead River in northern Marquette County, which was extensively damaged in a flood in May 2003.

The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at the Negaunee Township Hall located at 42 West M-35. In addition to DNR and DEQ speakers, Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO) will present the results of environmental assessments completed in 2004. UPPCO will also be presenting a review of natural channel design concepts and goals. The natural channel design process is an important component of the Dead River restoration and recovery process.

"Our purpose is to keep the public up to date on what has been going on with the various agencies involved in the studies, projects, and plans for restoration of the Dead River watershed," said Steve Casey, District Supervisor for the DEQ Water Bureau. "Since the decisions regarding rebuilding or design of the Tourist Park and Silver Lake Basin dams rest with the owners of those facilities, we will not be talking about those aspects of the restoration at this meeting."

Agenda items will include updates on projects/plans completed in 2004, fisheries update and Silver Lake Basin management goals, review of projects to be completed with Natural Resources Conservation Service Emergency Watershed Protection funding, and a time line for the road to recovery. The agencies are also looking for people familiar with the Dead River system to provide comment describing pre-flood conditions and post-flood damages they have observed. This information will be used to help set restoration goals.