Downstream float: We floated from the bridge at the Marengo River Rd Crossing (coordinates 46°25’42.01”N, 90°50’50.49”W) to the bridge at Riemer Rd, and it took us about 30 minutes. We were floating on tubes which was lovely, minimal butt scraping.
There’s an inlet stream about 200m downstream of Marengo River Rd on the left side if facing downstream. We spent some time sitting here looking for creatures and heard lots of birds.
Lots of ferns on stream sides and Speckled Alders.
Saw a hawk near the 1st deadfall downstream of Marengo River Rd!
Upstream Walk: We walked from the Marengo Rd Bridge upstream about 20 minutes to the first big bend. We spent a lot of time in one area and really enjoyed going super slow, looking at every little plant from the river up to 2ft up. A section of the river is between cornfields and private property on either side of the river, so floating down the river was perfect! According to the Public Trust Doctrine of Wisconsin, the constitution guarantees access to waterways.
We met lots of different beings!
Lots of cedars near the easement
At the bend, there is hip-deep thalweg where there’s a little stream input.
A couple of beaver felled stumps on the shoreline
Alders and some birches, fern covered shorelines
Saw a king fisher and lots of interesting bird tracks
Possible heard a Caspian Tern (endangered species) at the easement bend
Dragonfly nymph shells and little fish at bank of easement
Saw bittersweet nightshade, a non-local plant
Great blue herons flying from Marego River Rd downstream and a bald eagle flew over the bend right after the first deadfall where the hawk was the day before!
Saw many kinds of mints. Lots of guppies in the water
A tree frog grabbed someone’s leg while walking in the water!
Lots of narrow-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) along this section of the river, a species with an edible tuber
Early August Reportback
Brief visit to Riemer Rd site, juvenile bald eagle flew overheard as we arrived
Walked downstream for about 20 minutes
Noticed two small inlets on either side of the river
We had a wonderful float along the White River. We started just downstream of the dam (coordinates 46°29’53.50″N, 90°54’30.41″W.) We floated to the Highway 13 bridge which took about 5 hours because the water was low so we often had to get out of our canoe and carry or push it over rocks. This float was in late June.
Note: NL means “non-local being”
Tried to enter river with heavy canoe close to dam — steep, rocky, and lots of rock slabs in waterway. Needed to portage canoe several times, difficult. Do not recommend starting that close to the dam or bringing a heavy canoe with low water levels.
Along bank in first quarter mile of float, noticed: bird’s foot trefoil (NL), crown vetch (NL), honeysuckle (NL), bull thistle (NL), speckled alder, blue vervain, mullein
Boneset and lots of frogs noticed at easement
Several washouts along the banks, before and after easement
Arrowhead common along river
Small clams/mussels found in sandy river bottom
Honeysuckle, buckthorn, narrow-leaved wood pea encountered at easement (all NL)
Halfway between dam and highway 13 encountered small population of showy lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium regalis), uncommon orchid
Encountered two bald eagles six times along river!
In May 2021, Michigan Governor Whitmer along with the MI DNR filed an Eviction Order for the immediate Shut Down of Line 5 for Enbridge’s non-compliance with safety agreements in the binding 1953 Mackinaw Straits permit agreement between the State of Michigan and Enbridge Energy (previously Lake Head). Enbridge then filed suit against Gov Whitmer and the DNR for damages, claiming Whitmer had no authority to enforce the permit between the the State of Michigan and Enbridge.
Whitmer argued that the state of Michigan is immune from litigation for enforcing a sovereign State agreement between State and Company.
Federal District Courts sided with Enbridge. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Enbridge.
Now is the time for Whitmer to Petition the Supreme Court. Her deadline to petition is September 14 — WE NEED YOU TO CALL HER TODAY!
Call Gov Whitmer today and ask her to stand up to protect the water, file a petition to the Supreme Court in Enbridge vs Whitmer and take the fight against Enbridge Line 5 to the Supreme Court!
Show Up! Support! If you have environmental information that contradicts Enbridge’s DNR EIS permits, provide testimony! On Appeal from WI DNR’s approval.
Location: Ashland, Wisconsin: Northwood Technical College Conference Center, 2100 Beaser Avenue Madison, WI: Hill Farms State Office Building, Room S149, 4822 Madison Yards Way
VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS can sign up (9am Sharp) to provide testimony in Madison on September 3rd.
Members of the public who choose to testify must do so in person and are open to cross-examination. If you wish to testify in either Ashland or Madison (on Sept 3rd), you must register at the start of the hearing on August 12 either in person or at the teams link above.
People at the hearing will need to be sworn in to testify, and testimony must be relevant to the permit. The contested case judge will decide if it is or not. If you wish to testify at the next hearing on September 3, you have to attend the Aug. 12 meeting (by Teams or In-person) and register to testify on Sept. 3 (in Madison).
Opening Arguments by Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Clean Wisconsin, Enbridge, and the WI DNR.
