Geomorphic Reference Reach Data for the Kalamazoo River Basin, Michigan Area of Concern (ver. 2.0, October 2024)

The Kalamazoo River Area of Concern (AOC) in Michigan has multiple dams in various stages of removal. Following dam removal, river restoration activities will occur in impacted reaches. Hydrogeomorphic data from relatively undisturbed and hydraulically stable river reaches are commonly used to inform the design parameters of river restoration projects. Reference reaches should be selected that operate under similar prevailing boundary conditions as target restoration reaches, including water and sediment regime, valley and channel slope, valley confinement, bank heights, and riparian vegetation. The datasets contained in this data release represent the results of a geomorphic assessment of the Kalamazoo River to identify and characterize reference reaches that are potential analogues for dam removal and restoration sites in various channel and valley settings along the Kalamazoo River from the city of Kalamazoo downstream through the towns of Plainwell and Allegan. The reference reach data include a digital elevation model, channel and floodplain cross-sections, a longitudinal profile, mapped hydrogeomorphic units and large woody debris, and substrate size data. Reference reaches are nested as separate child items on this page. As of late 2024, data from five potential reference reaches have been published: one reach upstream of Plainwell, MI, contained in the child item, "Geomorphic Reference Reach Data for the Kalamazoo River upstream of Plainwell, Michigan, 2021"; and four reaches between Trowbridge Dam and Allegan, MI, all contained in the child item, "Geomorphic Reference Reach Data for the Kalamazoo River Basin, Michigan Area of Concern: Kalamazoo River Between Trowbridge Dam and Allegan, Michigan, 2023." Additional reaches may be added to the dataset in the future.