TRAVERSE CITY -- The Great Lakes Fishery handed over a one-million-dollar check to the City of Traverse City Wednesday.

The grant represents a significant milestone in the Brown Bridge Dam removal project which has been in the works for five years.

Those that have been involved with the project met at the Grand Traverse County Nature Center to celebrate the achievement.    

The project goals are to reconnect 160 miles of the Boardman River with Lake Michigan and to restore 253 acres of wetlands.     

DNR Team Chair Todd Kalish says, "We’re finally getting a shovel in the ground and that's the big significance of this project. This project will not only bring jobs to traverse city but its going to bring a spotlight to traverse city because this is the most comprehensive dam removal in this stage in the country."

The actual removal of the dam won’t start up until 2012.