Activities

There are no additional costs for any of the special activities taking place during the 2010 National Tribal Science Forum. Please continue to check back as we finalize the forum agenda and add more activities.

Welcoming Ceremony with Mini Pow-Wow and Feast

We would like to welcome you to the 2010 National Tribal Science Forum at a beach reception with a Mini Pow-Wow and Feast on Sunday, June 6th at 7 p.m. There will be traditional drumming, dancing, and food. Vendors will also be on hand with handmade Native American products.

Boardman River Watershed Tour

The Boardman River Watershed Tour is tentatively scheduled for Monday, June 7th and Tuesday, June 8th. The Boardman River Dams removal project is the most significant and comprehensive dam removal/modification project in the Great Lakes Region. It involves the removal of three dams (Sabin, Boardman, and Brown Bridge) and their associated impoundments ranging in size from 40-212 surface acres, and the modification of the Union Street Dam in the Boardman River. The Boardman River is located in the northwestern portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and drains into West Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan. The Boardman River watershed is 289 square miles in size and supports a variety of cold, cool, and warm water migratory and resident fish species, including Chinook and Coho salmon; and brown, brook, and rainbow trout.

The Boardman River watershed tour will be led by the current Chair of the Boardman River Dams Implementation Team and other team members actively involved in the project. During this interactive tour, your guide will not only provide information on the project, but will also solicit advice and expertise on the dam removal and restoration project since it is still an ongoing project. Scheduled stops on the tour include:

• The Brown Bridge Dam and impoundment, which has currently been drawn down by 3 feet;
• The Boardman Dam and impoundment, which was drawn down 17 feet in 2007. Tour participants will explore and observe the ecological effects of the drawdown, including restored wetlands, flow regime, and vegetation;
• The Union Street Dam, which is currently equipped with a fish ladder and sea lamprey barrier; and
• The Boardman River Weir, which is operated seasonally to trap and transfer Chinook and Coho salmon.