Our cleanup trip took us from Middleville to 108th street.

The beautiful day added to our enjoyment of the cleanup canoe trip. Indian Valley put our canoes in at Middleville in Barry County, and we headed downstream. The water quality of the river here was excellent and clear. We saw many large fish jumping, and the sandy bottom of the river (which we could see easily throught the clear cold water) was rich with native mussels.

Most of the river banks in this stretch were in excellent condition, shady, forested and stable. The forested banks keep the water cooler, and cold water holds more oxygen.

This riverside home has preserved the trees which shade the river, which is excellent. Mowing to the bank's edge, however, is not recommended. The banks will be less stable, and the amount of water running off this property into the river will be much greater.