COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Administrator Bud Norman was asked during Thursday’s County Commissioner work session to put together a resolution for next week’s regular meeting which would be against the Michigan D.N.R.’s reclassification of the Prairie River from west of Bronson to the county line.
The D.N.R. is scheduled to make a decision on the reclassification of the river from a warm stream to a cold transitional stream next Thursday, January 12, 2023.
Commissioner Jon Houtz made the request after Commissioners asked several questions and heard another half hour of opinions from both sides of the reclassification issue.
The proposed reclassification apparently caught some people by surprise. Commission Chair Tim Stoll felt the Michigan D.N.R. should hold off on making a decision.
A group opposed to the change feels it could impact irrigation and land levels in much of Branch County.
Jay Westley from the Fisheries Division of the D.N.R. said during the Commissioners meeting on December 20 they wanted to change the stream from warm to cold due to the brown trout population.
Houtz felt the brown trout in the river have not been affected by irrigation usage.
The Michigan D.N.R. has been gathering data and looking into the possible reclassification for nearly five years.
If I recall correctly that stream has trout because the DNR put them there.