9/27/11 BRIDGE OVER NORTH BRANCH OF PIKES CREEK REPLACED

RED MAPLES ALONG HWY. 13

DANGEROUS OLD BRIDGE REPLACED

GRASS SEED PLANTED  AND COVERED

MARSHY HEADWATERS OF THE NORTH BRANCH OF PIKE'S CREEK

NEW FISHING/SPAWNING  HOLE

Tuesday, 7:30 AM.  58 degrees, wind SW, calm.  The sky is overcast and it is raining, and the barometer predicts more.  It looks like an inside day.
    The replacement of the ancient, dangerous bridge over the North Branch of Pikes Creek with a large culvert has been completed, and it looks to me like a fine job. The narrow bridge crossing has been widened for safety.  The upstream marsh was not affected by the construction and the downstream waters were protected as much as possible with silt barriers.  The banks have been seeded and covered with straw matting.  It  looks like a nice fishing and spawning hole has been created downstream from the culvert.
    These headwaters of the creek are important spawning areas for  brook trout and migratory rainbow trout, and it appears to me that these resources were improved as well as protected.  My congratulations to the Town of Russell, the Bayfield County Road Engineer and all others involved in this project. 
    Compton Road is gravel and I hope it will not be paved, as that would only increase its use as a shortcut around the city of Bayfield to Rt. 13 west through orchards and  berry farms.
    Guardrails have still not been installed on the Raspberry River project on Old Hwy K, and it remains a very dangerous situation, in my opinion.  If it is not done before winter, there will almost certainly be a bad accident.