March 2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

2 . plus some evergreens and shrubs. It is connected to the mainland by a WPA masonry bridge, and in several location there are steps within the wall down to the edge of the river. Therefore, the 60 year old walls have an historical and cultural significance as well as a practical erosion control purpose. At the most severe erosion site, a large cottonwood is being undermined and will probably have to be removed. Elsewhere, the trees are further from the bank and can likely be saved, although some backfilling around them may be necessary. We noted that a fourth erosion site has apparently occurred since your inspection of the area. As shown in Photograph No. 1, the stone wall has begun to collapse on the west side of the island, along the channel between the island and the mainland. The site is between the bridge and the southern tip of the island. A section of the island is subsiding, indicating it is likely being undermined. Although this area is not subject to the strong erosive forces that have created the problems on the active river side of the island, we believe that this site should be added to your project and the problem corrected before it increases. Numerous species of fish are found in this portion of the St. Joseph River. During a 1979 fishery survey of the river, Indiana Department of Natural Resources' biologists sampled this reach at Leeper Park (Ledet, N.D. 1979. A fisheries survey of the St. Joseph River in St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties, Indiana. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife. 41pp.). Sportfish included smallmouth bass, which were the most abundant species collected, bluegill, and walleye. Other species included shorthead and golden redhorse, pumpkinseed and green sunfish, carp, golden, spottail and spotfin shiner, spotted, white and northern hog sucker, quillback carpsucker, logperch, and longnose gar. Since that time, a major anadromous fishery project has been undertaken by the States of Michigan and Indiana to construct fish ladders around dams on the St. Joseph River, under the Federal Aid to Fisc. and Wildlife Restoration Program. Steelhead are the major anadromous species that run up the river from Lake Michigan and return, but coho and chinook salmon are present in smaller numbers. These species pass through the project area and travel as far upstream as Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka, about 6 miles up the St. Joseph River. Both Michigan and Indiana now also stock walleye, which have been found to be utilizing the fish passages at various times and may be within the Leeper Park area. Freshwater mussels have been recorded for the St. Joseph River, but we do not have any information available about possible beds in the project area. Numerous aquatic invertebrates can be expected to be present. The most predominant wildlife in the project area is waterfowl. During our site visit, numerous mallards and Canada geese were utilizing the river. These 2 species are known to nest in suitable habitats throughout the South Bend area and may be nesting at Leeper Park. Resting and feeding habitat is available at the park. Some wood ducks may nest in the vicinity. Songbirds are also numerous and nest in the trees and shrubs along the riverbanks and the park_ Muskrats may be present along the river. Urban wildlife such as squirrels and Eastern cottontails are likely found in the park. B - 2