2023
"FLOAT THE PAINT" - Information is found in the Summer Fun Guide page 13
August 5, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. Residents and visitors to the are invited to put canoes and kayaks into the Paint River at the Bates-Amasa bridge and take out at Erickson's Landing. Refreshments to follow at the Miskwaagamiiwiziibi Shelter, Bates Township Park. (Approximately 4 hours)
"FLOAT THE PAINT" - Information is found in the Summer Fun Guide page 13
August 5, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. Residents and visitors to the are invited to put canoes and kayaks into the Paint River at the Bates-Amasa bridge and take out at Erickson's Landing. Refreshments to follow at the Miskwaagamiiwiziibi Shelter, Bates Township Park. (Approximately 4 hours)
Plans are in place for working at the shelter at the Paint River this weekend, Saturday Oct. 16 and Sunday Oct. 17, starting at 9:00. Currently the weather forecast predicts a slight chance of rain on Saturday, and a better chance on Sunday. We will send notification of cancellation if either day is going to be too wet, but for now, we plan to work on both days.
Please rsvp to me if you want to help on either day so I am prepared with lunch for all who help. Thanks to Sara Basso for those delicious pasties and cookies for our last work bee!
Maggie Scheffer
A terrific group of volunteers turned out on Saturday and Sunday to help move the Bates Park shelter forward. Thirteen people on Saturday and seven on Sunday suggests that the Miskwaagamiiwiziibi Shelter has garnered the interest of local folks!
Thanks go out to: Karen and Patrick Cassity, Jonny and Barb Waara, Nathan Saunders, Anders Ahlberg, Tom Coats, Dodi Felger, Jim Hightower and Doreen, Brody and Carly Eckburg, and Daniel Miller.
Regrettably we did not get a photo of the entire group both days, but the attached photos below show how far we've come. The next work bee date will be September 11th and 12th and a details will be sent closer to the date.
Thanks for your interest!
Photo # 1: Jim and Rich laying up cordwood and prepping next wall.
Photo # 2: Daniel and Anders laying up corwood.
Photo # 3: Dodi and Jonny mixing mortar.
Photo # 4: Barbara rasping log ends.
Photo # 5: Nathan: the only true mason on the job!
Photo # 6: Rich: site supervisor.
Please rsvp to me if you want to help on either day so I am prepared with lunch for all who help. Thanks to Sara Basso for those delicious pasties and cookies for our last work bee!
Maggie Scheffer
A terrific group of volunteers turned out on Saturday and Sunday to help move the Bates Park shelter forward. Thirteen people on Saturday and seven on Sunday suggests that the Miskwaagamiiwiziibi Shelter has garnered the interest of local folks!
Thanks go out to: Karen and Patrick Cassity, Jonny and Barb Waara, Nathan Saunders, Anders Ahlberg, Tom Coats, Dodi Felger, Jim Hightower and Doreen, Brody and Carly Eckburg, and Daniel Miller.
Regrettably we did not get a photo of the entire group both days, but the attached photos below show how far we've come. The next work bee date will be September 11th and 12th and a details will be sent closer to the date.
Thanks for your interest!
Photo # 1: Jim and Rich laying up cordwood and prepping next wall.
Photo # 2: Daniel and Anders laying up corwood.
Photo # 3: Dodi and Jonny mixing mortar.
Photo # 4: Barbara rasping log ends.
Photo # 5: Nathan: the only true mason on the job!
Photo # 6: Rich: site supervisor.
The Iron County Watershed Coalition launched a "Watershed Awareness - 2017" campaign involving youth and the general community. This campaign was made possible through a grant from the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition, as credited at the end of the video. Enjoy!
Events for the 2020 campaign are found below or on the separate drop down on this page.
Events for the 2020 campaign are found below or on the separate drop down on this page.
WATERSHED AWARENESS - 2019
< In addition to the events below.
2019 Schedule of Events
Annual ICWC Membership Meeting
March 21, 4:30 WID Library
And, on same date:
“Saving Snow” Film
March 21, 5:30-- WID Library
“Live, Work, Play”
Iron County Home & Rec Show
April 13, West Iron Co. School
Special Report on I.C. Water Quality
By Purdue Univ. Students,
May 23, WID Library, 5:30
Historic Mine Tour
June 30, Iron County Historical Museum
Float The Paint
July 27, 11:00 a.m. Bates-Amasa Bridge
to Paint River Landing. River scavenger hunt; refreshments may be purchased for after the float at the Paint River Landing. Anticipate 4 hours on the river. You can pre-register by emailing this site or register upon arrival.
WATERSHED AWARENESS - 2018
For a second year, the Iron County Watershed Coalition will continue its “Watershed Awareness” campaign, with events that will celebrate and educate about the watersheds we live on. These activities are being scheduled around the county, beginning with a program for conservation-wise gardening at the West Iron District Library on Thursday, May 17, 5 - 7 p.m. (See a complete list of scheduled activities below).
At this free program, titled “Yardening With Mother Nature”, participants will learn about the urgent importance of transforming monoculture turf lawns into productive, eco-friendly, low maintenance and edible landscapes that are safe, sensible and water wise. Free gardening materials and supplies will be available, and participants are encouraged to bring plant divisions to swap.
In collaboration with the West Iron District Library and local Lakes and Streams associations, Purdue students will be presenting outcomes of their field studies at the West Iron District Library on Friday, May 25th, 6:00 Each year, Purdue Environmental Studies students collect data on various indicators of water quality in Iron County. Refreshments will be served.
ICWC is partnering with the Lions Club of Crystal Falls at Bass Fest on July 7th to provide fun and educational activities for families at Runkle Park. From 2:00 - 4:00 children will enjoy water games, wet races, and water ecology activities. Demonstrations and information about our watersheds will be available to adults.
Whether new to the Apple Blossom Trail in Iron River, or are a frequent user of the trail system, members of the public are invited to join the ICWC for a guided “Historic River Walk” on Sunday, July 8th at 2:00 p.m. The history of the Hiawatha and Dober mines and evidence of their legacy along the trail will be explained, as well as mitigation measures which currently address acid mine run-off, preventing pollution of the Iron River.
Get out your canoes and kayaks and “Float the Paint” on Saturday, August 4th! Pre-register at BELOW. The five hour trip down the river will begin at the Bates Amasa bridge. This year’s “River Float” will challenge participants to a river scavenger hunt -- no worries: a dry hunt! Dunham Sports in Iron Mountain has supplied a kayak, life vest and paddle to help promote the watershed campaign. The lucky winner will be drawn. Contestants may enter their name at any of the previous events, or wherever the ICWC is present with an information table.
For our final campaign event, ICWC is looking for volunteers to help with a River Clean-up on Saturday, September 8th. Registration will begin at the Chamber of Commerce office (the RV park) at 8:30 a.m. and coffee & doughnuts will be provided. Volunteers will be supplied gloves and equipment to pick up trash in the river and along the river banks and Apple Blossom Trail.
For questions about any of these scheduled Watershed Awareness activities, call 906-284-7869, or to volunteer to help with Iron County Watershed Coalition projects, visit the above website to make contact or become a member. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 4:30 in the West Iron District Library and guests are welcome.
BLUE RIBBON BRAGGING BOARDS
“Blue Ribbon Bragging Boards” located along the Apple Blossom Trail, present some basic information about the Iron River and give a general description of the watershed. The namesake of the sign contains a bulletin board that can be changed to display new information such as project updates, information about different problems and sources of pollution, insect identification charts and hatch schedules, as well as an area to showcase photos of fish, wildlife, or landscapes people have taken in the watershed.
STORM DRAIN MARKERS
Many of the storm sewers in the communities throughout the Iron River watershed drain directly into the Iron River. As part of the watershed project, Iron River storm sewer inlets have been clearly marked with signage that tells people not to dump their waste down the sewers. These markers serve as a constant reminder of the connection between the city and the river. Local 5th graders from West Iron County Middle School helped install the markers and distributed door hangers that explained the watershed and the project.
“Blue Ribbon Bragging Boards” located along the Apple Blossom Trail, present some basic information about the Iron River and give a general description of the watershed. The namesake of the sign contains a bulletin board that can be changed to display new information such as project updates, information about different problems and sources of pollution, insect identification charts and hatch schedules, as well as an area to showcase photos of fish, wildlife, or landscapes people have taken in the watershed.
STORM DRAIN MARKERS
Many of the storm sewers in the communities throughout the Iron River watershed drain directly into the Iron River. As part of the watershed project, Iron River storm sewer inlets have been clearly marked with signage that tells people not to dump their waste down the sewers. These markers serve as a constant reminder of the connection between the city and the river. Local 5th graders from West Iron County Middle School helped install the markers and distributed door hangers that explained the watershed and the project.
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Click above to see a Power Point on Watershed Awareness created by President Bette Premo.