The Department of Natural Resources today released the draft Tittabawassee River Assessment, a document which outlines the physical and biological characteristics of the river with suggested management strategies for the future. It is one in a series of river assessments being prepared by the DNR Fisheries Division for all the watersheds in Michigan. Three public meetings will be held in October to receive comments on the draft.

"Public input and response is one of the major components of the Tittabawassee River Assessment," said Kathrin Schrouder, a DNR fisheries biologist in the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit. "We are soliciting public comments through these meetings and comments received will be incorporated into the final document."

The DNR has scheduled public meetings to gather public input on the draft assessment. All meetings will take place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Those meetings are scheduled for:

• Friday, Oct. 17, at the Chippewa Nature Center, located at 400 S. Badour in Midland.
• Monday, Oct. 27, at the Veterans Memorial Library, located at 301 S. University Ave. in Mt. Pleasant.
• Thursday, Oct. 30, at Riverwalk Place, located at 777 W. Cedar Ave. in Gladwin.

The meetings will provide a brief overview of the river assessment, followed by a question and answer session and an opportunity to provide comments. The draft Tittabawassee River Assessment is available online at www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing.

The Tittabawassee River is centrally located in the Lower Peninsula. The Tittabawassee River basin drains an area of 2,471 square miles and is the fifth largest watershed in Michigan. The watershed encompasses parts of or all of 13 counties. There are 91 miles of main stem Tittabawassee River and 621 tributary miles. The Tittabawassee River is one of the principal tributaries to the Saginaw River, and eventually to Lake Huron at Saginaw Bay.

The Tittabawassee River Assessment addresses geography, history, geology, soils and land use, dams and barriers, water quality, biology, fisheries management, recreational use and citizen involvement, as well as other aspects of the river watershed. Management options are identified to provide a foundation for public discussion, priority setting, and planning the future of the Tittabawassee River.

The comment period will remain open through Jan. 16, 2009. Individuals unable to attend these meetings may send comments to Kathrin Schrouder, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Bay City Operations Service Center, 3580 State Park Dr., Bay City, MI 48706.