Walloon Live Cam

Bear River Dam - Melrose Township recently resolved the fish grate issue on the Bear River Dam. Mike Webster, Township Supervisor, researched the issue and determined the DNR feels the fish grate could be causing more harm than good and should be removed. The Township Board voted to remove the fish grate from the upper level of the dam immediately, within a year remove the grate from the lower level of the dam and work with the Michigan DEQ, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council and the Walloon Lake Association to build a fish weir slightly on the downstream side of the dam, which will prevent the undesirable fish from entering Walloon Lake from Bear River and deter some predatory fish from the lake getting into the Bear River and harming that fish population. The Township will also have an engineer inspect the dam to make sure it is in good condition and has not been harmed by the grate, as some believe. Bob Taylor, who initiated the action on the dam, was satisfied with the outcome, which was viewed by most as a reasonable compromise.