As reported in the December, 1997 isse of The Riverwatch, a major golf/residential development, Forest Dunes, is being constructed on property very close to the Mason Tract and the South Branch of the Au Sable. The coalition of the Anglers of the Au Sable, Michigan Trout Unlimited and The Au Sable Property Owners Association discussed in that report is still active.
Special aid to the coalition is being provided by the Mershon, George Mason, and Paul Young Chapters of T.U. Representatives of the coalition comprise the committee of concerned citizens established by the Crawford County Planning Commission. This committee entitled the Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) has met twice.
The first meeting on January 20, 1998 was primarily an organizational meeting. Present were Pat Merrill, Crawford County Environmental Official; Tom Focus, Forest Dunes Project Manager; Jack Mahank, Chairman of Crawford County Planning Commission; Dave Smith, Steve Southard, and this writer as representatives of the concerned coalition. The main topics in addition to organizational subjects concerned the safeguards and the monitoring plans the developer would employ. The concerns expressed by the coalition's engineers, MacNamee, Porter and Seeley (outlined in previous report) provided an excellent reference for our discussion.
The developer's project manager, Tom Focus, set a tone of cooperation and openness. He agreed to provide information concerning the construction and operation of Forest Dunes to the committee. The tentative construction schedule will complete the front nine holes by the end of May. This will include having all lakes and ponds excavated and lined. The seeding of the front nine and the primary irrigation is to be completed in July. The back nine holes will be seeded and irrigated by the end of September. The large lake is scheduled for completion in August. The present schedule contemplates opening the golf course in July of 1999.
The RAC met again on January 29, 1998. Present were Pat Merrill, Tom Focus, Russ Minnerick of the U.S. Geologic Survey Ofice, Dave Smith, and this writer. The main subject was the number and placement of monitoring wells on the perimeter of the development. The plans called for three such wells. After our discussion the Project Manager agreed to add another well. This will provide two wells on the east boundary and two wells on the south boundary. It appears this will allow adequate monitoring at this time. Due to the very mild winter, members of the committee were able to drive into the Mason Tract and look for future monitoring sites along Thayer Creek.
Dave Smith and I have had several discussions with staff from the DEQ, the DNR and the U.S. Geologic Survey office. As a result, I do not have as great a concern as I once did about the threat of this development on the temperature and flow of the South Branch. Because of the huge aquifer in this area, with proper monitoring that type of impact is more remote than I originally feared. However, the critical importance of establishing proper controls and monitoring the herbicides, pesticides and all of the waste of this development must not be underestimated.
There are more meetings scheduled in March. I shall attempt to keep The Riverwatch informed. RWOL
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