Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission requests support for Buffalo Reef stamp sand removal

HOUGHTON, Mich. (WLUC) - The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) is looking for support on a proposed Buffalo Reef stamp sand removal plan.

Mining stamp sands are encroaching on the 22,000-foot reef and its status as spawning grounds for whitefish and trout.

“The first phase would be to build a jetty out into the lack that would stop the stamp sands from continuing to move down the shoreline between Gay and the Traverse River,” GLIFWC Great Lakes Section Leader Bill Mattes said. “And then the stamp sands would be removed from the beach.”

The sands would be moved to an upland location, stabilized, and monitored for any outflow, says Mattes. The plan was one of several thought up by The Buffalo Reef Task Force. It is made up of entities such as the commission, EGLE, and the DNR.

The plan was first announced two years ago, with several hurdles preventing it from going forward.

“Land acquisition is part of it,” continued Mattes. “Some of the lands are owned by railroads that are no longer in existence, so that’s been a challenge. The other is just financing, funding to get the work done.”

According to Mattes, the goal of Wednesday’s Wake Up Keweenaw! presentation was to get the word out to potential supporters in the area. Craig Kurtz, who owned land adjacent to the beach for nearly 25 years, says he is interested in what he learned.

“Before this presentation, I knew very little about the fish habitat, the spawning habits and what the fish needed in order to have a successful spawning ground,” Kurtz said. “It was interesting to me that the reef is part of the issue, but also the white sand beach is what brings nutrition to the newly hatched fish.”

To contact Mattes about what you can do to help, you can contact him at (715)-209-1615 or email him at bmattes@glifwc.org.

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