Restoring Habitat for our Detroit River Giant

Lake Sturgeon live in freshwater lakes and rivers with soft bottoms of mud, sand or gravel. They spawn in fast flowing water with gravel and boulders at the bottom. Lake Sturgeon feed along the bottom on invertebrates, leeches, snails, clams, small fish, and algae. They can grow to more than 7 feet long and weigh more than 300lbs! Lake Sturgeon were once widespread in the Great Lakes, including the Detroit River. Sadly, the current population today is only approximately 1% of what it was historically. Over-harvesting, dams,habitat loss, and poor water quality were responsible for the massive decline throughout North America.
Today, various organizations in Canada and the United States are working together to protect Lake Sturgeon. Spawning reefs were built out of cobble and limestone in traditional spawning areas. Success has been rapid! Lake Sturgeon, Walleye, and Lake Whitefish spawned almost immediately on a 1 hectare (2.3 acre) underwater reef in LaSalle.