A Michigan man has been convicted of vandalism and tampering with a national park after he manually diverted a river, creating a canal that was 200 feet wide.
With a shovel in tow, Andrew Howard, 63, of Frankfort, Michigan, made his way to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The fisherman was spotted by a park ranger digging a new trail and building a self-made dike of large rocks in the Platte River.
His construction eventually diverted the flow into Lake Michigan, creating a stream that grew 200 feet wide within days, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The new access to the river meant that a huge flow of fishermen could also take advantage of the new access to the river and its ‘favourable’ conditions.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten called the bodies of water “natural gems” and described Howard’s actions as deeply “disturbing.”
Andrew Howard, 63, was convicted of vandalism and tampering with a national park after he diverted a river by hand, creating a canal that became 200 feet wide (Photo: Platte River after Howard’s illegal diversion)
With a shovel in tow, the fisherman was spotted by several witnesses digging a new canal after failing to access the bay via his boat (photo: the river in front in May 2022)
He wrote in a statement, “The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Great Lakes are national gems, and my office takes the preservation of our natural treasures very seriously.”
The National Park Service (NPS) investigated the allegations for months before the fisherman was finally charged.
The 63-year-old dammed the river after his boat couldn’t reach the bay, and once the estuary was deepened, he caught a Coho salmon. Michigan is alive reports.
A park ranger also presented a receipt for a shovel the fisherman had purchased from a hardware store near his home prior to the incident.
A separate park ranger told the court that he witnessed Howard using the shovel in the bay while collecting a pile of rocks – testimony that was also verified by other witnesses.
The illegal 60-metre-wide diversion remained so through the following summer and autumn, eventually being reformed after 17 months.
Photos taken from a bird’s eye view show the dramatic change in the river, which appears much deeper with a brand new flow in the lake.
Howard will be sentenced on February 7, 2024, on two federal felony charges of tampering and vandalism in a national park.
The maximum penalty he faces is six months in prison, along with five years’ probation, a $5,000 fine and mandatory restitution for diverting the river.
Totten said, “Mr. Howard had a policy dispute with the National Park Service and took matters into his own hands, breaking the law rather than using legal means to advocate for his position.
“His actions resulted in significant financial and environmental damage and changed the landscape enjoyed by many.”
The newly created path allowed a large number of fishermen to take advantage of the “favorable conditions,” according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Biksacky.
When the detour was initially created, some business owners, fishing groups and even state and local officials expressed support for the increased accessibility.
Some argued that the new channel was beneficial to the river, arguing that the river’s previous shallowness was a safety issue, hindering access to Platte Bay for rescue boats, Michigan Live reports.
The Park Service no longer dredges the Platte River, which means a buildup of sediment and sand, making it a challenge for boats trying to access the body of water.
The Platte River was dredged every fall from 1968 to 2013. The Record Eagle reports
The 63-year-old now faces up to six months in prison, along with five years’ probation, a $5,000 fine and mandatory restitution for diverting the river.
Two people have died in the river since 2016: one teenager from Holt who drowned while swimming, and the other a 21-year-old who tragically died after his kayak overturned.
Kyle Oor, owner of Riverside Canoe Trips, told the publication: “It would be nice if a rescue boat could get out in time.”
According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the NPS was not happy with the sediment left on the shore of the lake as a result of the dredging.
A 2016 NPS report stated that regular layering prevented vegetation growth on the dunes.
DNR claimed that the construction of the illegal canal benefited the river by lowering the upstream water level by one foot.
Salmon advocates also stated that the diversion created by Howard made it easier for Coho salmon to find their way back to the river each year.
A $500,000 NPS to eradicate dredged debris and create an improved environment for the scarce ploverbird was also suspended.