Tilden Township to West Branch Township

17.19 Tilden Township
Tilden Township lies just to the south of the City of Ishpeming. The dominant feature of
the township is the Tilden Mine, an open pit iron mine. Nearby is the old mining
community of National Mine, where much of the township’s population lives. Ely Creek
runs alongside the major thoroughfare in this historic community.
Some 295 structures worth an estimated $8.8 million lie in flood-prone areas of Tilden
Township. Among the more prominent structures are those of the Pepin-Ireco explosives
plant (Figure 21). Six of the flood-prone structures also lie within the inundation zone for
the Greenwood Reservoir, but none are permanent residences.
While flood-prone properties are mainly in the northern part of the township, the southern
half of Tilden Township is heavily forested with jack pines. One hundred structures
worth an estimated $3.8 million lie in this zone. Forty-four of the structures are
associated with permanent residences.
Township officials identified two capital projects that would help to mitigate natural
hazards:
1. Improve the bridge over Ely Creek on County Road PCC.
Figure 17-47. County Road PCC bridge over Ely Creek, April, 2005.
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Figure 17-48. Ely Creek flowing past houses in National Mine, April, 2005. Picture taken from
County Road PCC.
.
2. Dredge Ely Creek alongside County Road 476, National Mine.
Figure 17-49. Pepin-Ireco explosives plant in the Ely Creek floodplain between the Tilden Mine and
County Road 476.
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Figure 17-50
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17.20 Turin Township
Turin Township lies in the southeast corner of Marquette County, bordering Alger and
Delta counties. Only 152 people live in the township, which encompasses much of the
Cyr Swamp. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is the largest landowner in
the township.
Much of Turin Township is low-lying, and 232 structures worth an estimated $4.7
million lie in its flood-prone areas. Most are along County Roads 444 and RM, which are
also where most of Turin Township's population lives.
Although the township is heavily forested, relatively few jack pines are found there.
Twenty structures worth an estimated $391,000 are in the jack pine forests of Turin
Township; only one is a year-round home.
The township supervisor identified two capital projects that would help with hazard
mitigation:
(1) Improve culverts along County Road 444.
(2) Improve culverts along County Road RM.
Most of the township’s population lives on these two roads, so access is critical.
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Figure 17-51
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17.21 Wells Township
Wells Township is in southernmost Marquette County. The core communities of the
township are Northland, Arnold, and Watson.
Drainage in Wells Township is to the Escanaba and Ford rivers. The Escanaba is fairly
large and forms the eastern boundary of the township. Relatively little settlement is
found along its banks, but a few camps are sprinkled along its length. The township has
256 structures worth an estimated $6.3 million in flood-prone areas, but only 77 of those
structures are associated with permanent residences. Six structures are close enough to
the Escanaba River to fall within the dam inundation zones there.
Jack pines are relatively rare among the many trees of Wells Township. Only thirty
structures, worth an estimated $668,000, are found in jack pine forests.
The township supervisor had two suggestions for capital projects to mitigate hazards:
1. Improve drainage along County Road 557 in Section 19.
2. Improve the crossing of County Road 426 over Erie Creek, near Arnold.
These two roads are the critical links between Wells Township and the rest of the world.
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Figure 17-52
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Figure 17-53
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Figure 17-54
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17.22 West Branch Township
West Branch Township lies southeast of the City of Marquette. It is largely rural, but
takes in a small portion of the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, which has a more
urban character. Roughly half of the township’s population lives in the one square mile
of K.I. Sawyer within the township’s boundaries. Most hazard zones are in the eastern
half of the township, where most residents outside of K.I. Sawyer live.
The township lies at the headwaters of the Chocolay River system, with many tributaries
crossing the area. The flood-prone areas associated with these tributaries contain 295 of
West Branch Township's structures, worth an estimated $10.1 million. Eighty per cent of
these structures are associated with permanent residences, and most are in the eastern half
of the township.
Unlike neighboring Sands and Forsyth townships, West Branch Township has relatively
few jack pine forests. Only 22 structures worth an estimated $855,000 are found in jack
pine forests in the township.
Township officials had two suggestions for capital projects to mitigate hazards:
1. Improve ditching and build up the roadbed of Engman Lake Road. Wiseman
Creek flows alongside the road and has a shallow riverbed.
2. Insure stability of culverts on M-94 and the East Branch of the Chocolay River.
Figure 17-55. Recent improvement of culverts along the West Branch of the Chocolay River--a box
culvert on County Road 545.
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Figure 17-56
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