The Cedar River remains one of northwest Michigan’s Class-A trout streams. The water is cold, clear, and richly oxygenated. High quality macroinvertebrates found on the bottom of the river serve as the main food supply for brook, brown, and rainbow trout populations. The major concern about the Cedar River water quality is the recent detection of TCE (trichloroethylene) from the Mancelona plume. While the TCE concentrations entering the river are well below the EPA limits for surface waters, Three Lakes Association, in cooperation with the Bellaire Public Schools, will be monitoring macroinvertebrate populations above and below the point of TCE entry this next spring. Three Lakes is also active in the efforts to remediate the toxic plume.