GEI Awarded Wigwam Bay Coastal Wetland Restoration Feasibility Study

Project will support restoration planning for one of Michigan’s most significant Great Lakes coastal wetland complexes.

Allendale, MI (September 9, 2026) – GEI Consultants has been selected by Audubon Great Lakes (AGL) to lead the Wigwam Bay Coastal Wetland Restoration Feasibility Study at the Wigwam Bay State Wildlife Area (SWA) in Arenac County, Michigan.

Located along the northern end of Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron, the approximately 3,500-acre Wigwam Bay SWA contains some of the region’s most important coastal wetland habitat, supporting species such as the state-threatened black tern. Approximately 900 acres of wetland within the SWA have been physically disconnected from Saginaw Bay through a system of earthen embankments. This disconnection has interrupted the natural flow of water and sediments between Saginaw Bay, the Rifle River, and the wetland.

The Coastal Wetland Restoration Feasibility Study will evaluate opportunities to restore ecological connectivity, improve habitat quality, support fish passage, assess water quality and nutrient dynamics, and enhance long-term management of the impounded wetlands.

“This project represents an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of one of Michigan’s premier coastal wetland systems,” says Brian Majka, CERP, Senior Restoration Ecologist and Project Manager with GEI. “Our team is honored to partner with Audubon Great Lakes, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to develop science-based restoration strategies that will balance habitat needs for birds, fish, amphibians, and other wildlife while supporting long-term stewardship goals.”

GEI will lead a multidisciplinary team that includes Grand Valley State University/Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program (CWMP), Orbis Environmental, and ROWE Professional Services.

“GEI has a long history of helping clients restore and reconnect Great Lakes coastal wetlands,” says Scott Dierks, P.E., Senior Water Resources Engineer with GEI. “The Wigwam Bay project brings together hydrology, ecology, engineering, fisheries, and water quality expertise to evaluate restoration opportunities at a landscape scale. We look forward to working collaboratively with project partners and stakeholders to identify practical, effective solutions that benefit the plants, animals, and people that use Wigwam Bay SWA.”

GEI has completed numerous Great Lakes coastal wetland restoration and hydrologic reconnection projects throughout the region, including the Lower Muskegon River Wetland Restoration, Bear Creek Hydrologic Reconnection and Wetland Restoration, Veterans Memorial Park Fish and Wildlife Habitat Restoration, and the Allouez Bay Marsh Bird Habitat Restoration project completed for AGL.

The Wigwam Bay Coastal Wetland Restoration Feasibility Study project is expected to continue through 2028.