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General background on the approach used for this process
and information on the Arcadia Creek subwatershed can be found in
the Watershed
Management Plan (WMP) Overview and the Arcadia Creek Subwatershed
Scoring Table webpage. This site
selection process started with a review of the scoring
results for the stream corridor
of the creek. Scoring was based upon ten physical, observable parameters
with a ranking of 0-3 for each, resulting in a maximum of 30 total
points for each stretch. High scores were reflective of "good" conditions.
Discussions focused not only upon these stream corridor conditions,
but also on any upland opportunities that would reduce direct stormwater
contributions to the creek. Periodic flood damage near the West
Main Street/Elm Street intersection (Stuart Neighborhood) provides
incentive for upland approaches that reduce stormwater volumes reaching
this pinch point.
Consideration of suitable BMP options for conditions
at sites of concern included consideration of: the greatest community
benefit and a "maximum return" on any investment in improvements.
Six of the 16 numbered sites fell into the 0-15 category. The
Stretch Property Summaries Table, describes each stretch by
its number, location, description and score. In the approach used
below, site numbers run sequentially from the source of the watercourse
to the mouth of the creek. Numbers in the following discussion summaries
correspond to the same stream segment numbers found in the summary
table. The BMP Implementation
Table (PDF format, will open in new browser
window) provides a summary of proposed BMPs for each stretch
and their associated costs. (Links within that table provide additional
cost information for selected stretches). Please refer to the
Arcadia Creek Subwatershed Virtual Tour for additional supportive
information on flow path and locations described in the following
text.
Stretch # 1 (no score; no flow
detected)
Stretch # 2 (24.5 points)
Description
A substantially high score resulted for this stretch due to
the existing pond, southeast of the Michigan Avenue/Drake Road intersection,
containing emergent vegetation, a wooded riparian edge on its south
shore, herbaceous vegetation on the north shore, a connection to
the floodplain and very few stormwater outlets. This property is
owned by the City of Kalamazoo. An existing stop board control structure
(a board placed across a limited size opening to allow water levels
to rise behind it) exists at the east end of the pond.
Impacts
The surrounding general area, especially along Michigan Avenue,
continues to undergo increased development with more growth expected
in the future.
Recommendations
- Investigate, through the City of Kalamazoo, the addition of
another stop board (8") for an increased stormwater storage capacity
of 2.5 acre-feet.
- Maintain/improve the general vegetative character of the corridor
as it now exists and prevent future degradation from taking place.
- Integrate known current and future planned projects/opportunities
into the WMP.
- All future developments in this area and upstream should be
required to manage stormwater by on-site treatment with zero discharge
to Arcadia Creek.
- Consideration might also be given to the elimination of invasives
and restoration of native species in the corridor.
Stretch
# 3 (9 points)
Description
Stretch #3 borders the north side of the Meadow View Mobile
Home Park. The community was built on fill material on at a substantially
higher elevation than the creek banks. A steel hill covered with
scrub vegetation and impacted by large amounts of litter forms the
creek's southern riparian area. The creek's northern bank consists
of gravel and rock, with little vegetation, supporting railroad
tracks. The creek is very channelized in this stretch and has minimal
native vegetative cover.
Impacts
Steering Committee discussions focused on the existing negatively
impacted and narrow character of this stretch, which seems unlikely
to provide a return on implementation funds. The railroad bed and
tracks on the north side drop sharply off along a bare slope to
the surface of the stream, approximately 3-4 feet wide at the widest.
It is believed that the bare slopes are maintained by railroad spraying
of herbicides. This transitions immediately to a very steep embankment
on the other side with what appears to be limited scrub vegetation
and excessive amounts of litter.
Recommendations
Address education and policy concerns rather than structural
improvements.
- Establishing contact with the Southern Pacific Railroad (WMU
and/or City of Kalamazoo) to discuss the relationship between
the railroad right-of-way, Arcadia Creek, their maintenance plans
and any possible future railroad plans for affected properties,
- Using City of Kalamazoo Public Works staff to work with the
Meadow View Mobile Home Park to elicit stewardship of the steep
embankment by maintaining vegetative buffers and reducing litter
input (enforce that no trash be thrown into the stream or onto
the embankment if necessary),
- Bringing a representative of the USDA
Plant Materials Center to this and adjacent sites for recommendations
of vegetation that might become established, and
- Establishing an Adopt-A-Creek group and periodically conducting
trash clean-ups of this reach.
Stretch # 4 (12.5 points)
Description
Included in this segment is a transition area, from the east
end of the Meadow View Mobile Home Park to an area of wetlands leading
up to the City of Kalamazoo Well Field #12.
Impacts
Many of the physical/biological conditions (steep banks with
little to no vegetation) continue from Stretch #3 to the east, which
prompted similar educational approaches as those already suggested.
Moving to the east, less debris was accompanied by an increase in
aquatic vegetation and a topographic flattening of the southern
bank.
Recommendations
An effort to expand the floodplain area and increase both off-line
flood storage capacity and the variety and amount of native species
in the area is recommended. This could be accomplished by lowering
the entire berm along the riparian areas of this stretch [and continuing
eastward into the City of Kalamazoo Well Field (Stretch 5)]. Such
action would allow for increased levels of stormwater (in the 5
-10+ year storm event range) to overflow the dividing berm and enter
the wetland area on the south side of the berm. This would not only
relieve some downstream stormwater pressure but also expand wetlands.
Impact on the well field needs to be avoided by this action. Partners
for this effort could include Hinman Development (the property owner),
the City of Kalamazoo and the WildOnes Native Landscapers.
Stretch # 5 (23 points)
Description
The City of Kalamazoo Well Field #12 comprises this segment
and includes a mostly naturalized area of shrub wetlands and a small,
open water pond.
Impacts
This stretch represents a fairly naturalized area. However,
erosion problems from the adjacent embankment of the Stretch #4
parcel are creating an alluvial deposition area (sediments that
have run off from a narrow source, tapered away and spread into
a fan-shaped area) where invasive plants are dominant.
Recommendations
- Preservation and improvement of the character of the vegetation
within the parcel. Given City of Kalamazoo ownership, most participants
believe this concept does not need to be addressed by any short-term
implementation funds.
- Facilitation of an expanded stormwater detention area, discussed
in Stretch #4 (above),
- Alleviation of erosion problems from the adjacent embankment
of the adjacent Stretch #4 parcel that are creating an alluvial
deposition area (sediments that have run off from a narrow source,
tapered away and spread into a fan-shaped area) where invasive
plants are dominant, and
- Revegetation of the embankment behind the filling station. The
existing erosive conditions have been characterized by plan participants
as "serious and in need of rapid attention".
Preventative action(s) must be implemented to prevent further erosion
and a repetition of similar problems.
Stretch # 6 (28 points)
Description
Stretch #6 continues east from the Kalamazoo Well Field #12
into an herbaceous wetland area owned by Adams Outdoor Advertising.
This stretch is undeveloped and contains a billboard structure at
its eastern end. It represents a unique, relatively undisturbed
open space within the commercial development along Stadium Drive.
Impacts
No immediate impacts were noted. However, future development
is a potential threat.
Recommendations
Recommended efforts are directed toward the preservation of
this site. Vegetative analysis conducted by members of The WildOnes
revealed that the site has "unique floristic character of value
to the State". The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is willing
to accept and preserve the parcel as is, complete with Adams Outdoor
Advertising-owned billboards, which will be allowed to remain if
the property transfer takes place. The recommendation is that this
be assigned both a short and long-term priority, given the uniqueness
of the site and its location along a major gateway corridor into
the City of Kalamazoo.
Stretch # 7 (30 points)
Description
This segment is owned by the Second Reformed Church. Mostly
dominated by a shrub and cattail wetland, the Church has created
an "Inspiration Walk" through the wetland and leading to the
Kalamazoo Christian High School to the north. An educational, as
well as spiritual, experience is provided by this path. Voluntary
efforts have been discussed to assist the church in the creation
of a "wetland park/quiet area" along Inspiration Walk.
Impacts
No immediate impacts were noted. However, future development
is a potential threat.
Recommendations
Consideration could be given to the expansion and connection
of this walk to Kalamazoo Christian High School as improvements
are implemented on that parcel. This stretch serves as a good example
of voluntary protection efforts on private property. The lack of
public accessibility to this site was noted as a potential detriment
to the use of public funds for implementation projects.
Stretch # 8 (14 points)
Description
The Kalamazoo Christian High School property at the northwest
corner of Stadium Drive and Howard Street comprises this reach.
The creek banks are severely eroded, as they lack riparian vegetation
and are impacted by stormwater inputs. Positive attributes of this
stretch include:
- its proximity to the Second Reformed Church "Inspiration Walk",
- its educational mission, and
- its accessible/visible location.
Impacts
- extreme sinuosity of the stream resulting in severe bank erosion
(stream cutting),
- a turf grass monoculture and
- maintenance practices that eliminate riparian vegetation.
Recommendations
Participants determined that this site provides a physical opportunity
to slightly widen and revegetate the stream course to develop a
vegetated floodplain. This will provide for:
- a diversity of native vegetation,
- nutrient uptake,
- increased stormwater detention,
- filtration of sediments carried in stormwater, and
- a decrease in the speed of wet weather flows.
The educational component would feature an innovative demonstration
site, extend and continue the path of the "Inspiration Walk", create
an incentive for the school to maintain and nurture the site and
provide a living laboratory for the high school education program.
BMPs may include:
- stream restoration,
- buffer strips,
- vegetative bank stabilization, and
- wetland restoration techniques.
Stretch # 9 (27.5 points)
Description
At the southeast corner of Howard Street and Stadium Drive,
flow from Kalamazoo Christian High School passes under Howard Street
to property owned by WMU. The next five stretches are on WMU property.
This heavily wooded area is considerably lower in elevation than
the surrounding property. From this point, flow travels a short
distance to the east before passing under Stadium Drive and emerging
on the opposite side of the road.
Impacts
Minimal immediate impacts were noted. However, future development
is a potential threat.
Recommendations
This stretch will not likely present an opportunity for the
detention of upstream flows. Shading provided by vegetation is a
positive attribute. There may be an opportunity to alter the creek
substrate to increase oxygenation of the water as it falls. The
volume of stormwater discharges received at this point from contributing
areas needs to be further evaluated. Options for on-site treatment
of stormwater from the WMU-owned apartments immediately south of
the stream will likely be dependent upon the future use of these
units, as determined by WMU. Preliminary work by WMU has addressed
several upland opportunities for detention-type BMPs, to be constructed
on the former psychiatric hospital grounds on Oakland Drive, to
detain stormwater generated there.
Stretch # 10 (20 points)
Description
After passing under Stadium Drive and the Amtrak rail line,
Arcadia Creek flows eastward through a shrub-vegetated valley between
the north side of the Amtrak railroad and the south side of a WMU
parking lot before turning again and passing through a culvert back
to the south side of Stadium Drive. The creek banks immediately
adjacent to the water course are relatively flat, but then steeply
rise on both sides.
Impacts
This is a fairly narrow stretch with parking lots and railroad
tracks in close proximity to the creek. However, the water clarity,
flattened banks and riparian vegetation allowed it to score high.
Future impacts may include increased storm water loading.
Recommendations
The existing area between Stadium Drive and the railroad tracks
could be utilized for the creation of off-line storage (physical
capacity to retain elevated flows of water not in a direct line
of the creek flow) of wet weather flows. The area surrounding this
site may then become suitable for vegetative restoration activities.
Stretch # 11 (27.5 points)
Description
At the west end of the WMU Power Plant, on the south side of
Stadium Drive, a relatively mature wooded and shrubby vegetative
area borders the stream.
Impacts
The creek cuts through the area leaving eroded streambanks with
fairly deep cuts and high sediment losses.
Recommendations
This stretch may be a candidate for some degree of floodplain
restoration and revegetation, which may add storage capacity during
wet weather. Consideration has been given to the creation of a similar
off-line stormwater detention area, as proposed above for Stretch
#10, for this and the following reach.
Stretch # 12 (20.5 points)
Description
Contiguous with Stretch 11, Stretch 12 continues toward the
east, primarily with mowed grass rather than dense woody vegetation.
The maintenance practice of mowing grass up to the edge of the creek
had been the norm until June, 2002, when this practice was discontinued
to allow vegetation to grow as a buffer strip. There also exists
a small ponded area within this segment.
Impacts
Minimal immediate impacts were noted, except for past mowing
practices. Future development is not expected to impact this area
because it is a part of the WMU Power Plant property.
Recommendations
One favorable option is to widen and broaden the stream channel,
creating more of a vegetated floodplain than currently exists. Such
action would create additional storage capacity for storm water
flows. Potential for additional off-line storage as mentioned in
Stretch #11 above may also be possible.
Stretch # 13 (19 points)
Description
Acadia Creek again passes under Stadium Drive and runs between
WMU's Kanley Track and the railroad bed.
Impacts
Creek banks along this area have been mostly mown grass until
June, 2002 and may serve as a good site for vegetative restoration
and removal of exotic species, including purple loosestrife. Stormwater
inputs from the WMU Campus also impact this stretch.
Recommendations
Potential exists for off-line storage between the railroad bed
and Stadium Drive along this reach. As a highly visible stretch
with sight lines from Kanley Track, Stadium Drive and Waldo Stadium
this would make an ideal educational site. At the end of this segment,
storm water from Goldsworth Valley Pond and other WMU storm water
drains merge, thereby creating a deficiency in the existing storm
sewer infrastructure's capacity to adequately handle storm flows.
The off-line detention systems proposed above would be intended
to address this situation. It is also expected that additional BMPs
will be implemented over time by WMU within the campus grounds to
reduce the volume of storm water reaching the storm sewer system.
Stretch # 14 (6.5 points)
Description
After emerging from an underground conduit beginning near Kanley
Track, the creek flow from Lovell Street to Academy Street between
a park and railroad tracks.
Impacts
- Flows enter the area within a large capacity storm drain that
discharges into a limited capacity channel.
- Commercial, institutional and open space property as well as
several streets occupy much of this stretch.
- The channel is relatively straight and eroding in several areas.
- Proximity of the rail road bed further complicates any improvement
options.
Recommendations
Kalamazoo College, one of the largest property holders in this
reach, has expressed a desire to improve stormwater management and
the area's aesthetics, as it is the main gateway to the College.
In June 2002, a local media announcement indicated that grant funds
from the Michigan Department of Transportation have been awarded
for "Gateway Improvements" to be made in this area. Coordination
of efforts are necessary to ensure that watershed stewardship is
included in these plans. Elements considered include:
- creating a small plantings demonstration site in the area,
- restoration of streambanks and vegetation,
- installation of appropriate watershed signage (lots of foot
and motor traffic),
- alteration of mowing practices, and
- potentially creating a small floodplain area to create limited,
but additional, stormwater storage capacity.
Stretch # 15 (4.0 points)
Description
In Stretch #15, the creek flows from Academy Street to Elm Street
between closely developed properties and the railroad tracks.
Impacts
Urban development, little to no vegetation for infiltration
or shade and a major pinch point (storm sewer pipe size is inadequate
to handle flows from upstream areas) have resulted in significant
rain event related flooding of streets, residences and commercial
properties in the vicinity of the Stuart Neighborhood. Floodplain
insurance is not available for many properties within this area.
Streambanks are rock and/or concrete lined within this relatively
straight channel.
Recommendations
Short term approaches discussed include:
- Explore residential opportunities in the upland areas to reduce
contributing flows to the creek. These could include rain gardens,
rain barrels, swales and other methods that retain stormwater
and increase infiltration.
- A closer working relationship with the Stuart Area Restoration
Association and the City of Kalamazoo must be pursued.
- Educational efforts aimed at individuals living and working
in this area regarding their individual and collective stormwater
impacts and how they might take steps to minimize these are key.
Long term approaches include:
- Some infrastructure remedy, such as replacement of the pinch
point with a larger capacity culvert, is likely to be required
to address the flooding problem.
- Reduction of flows from upstream areas is believed to be the
best approach to reduce flooding impacts.
- Policies requiring on-site handling of all stormwater for all
future developments should also be pursued in an effort to reduce
wet weather discharges to the creek.
Stretch # 16 (5.0 points)
Description
A concrete channel, sedimentation pond at the Arcadia Creek
Festival Site and underground conveyance to the Kalamazoo River
comprise the last stretch of the creek.
Impacts
Eight storm water outfalls contribute wet weather flows to this
reach. Virtually no natural shading exists along this segment. The
creek substrate is composed of concrete in the channel and large
rocks and accumulated sediments in the pond.
Recommendations
Running through the heart of the Central Business District,
there appears to be little opportunity for restoration to more natural
conditions with perhaps two exceptions. If WMU develops the properties
donated to them (former Gilmore dealership area) there is the potential
to manage stormwater rather than allowing it to discharge directly
to the creek. The Arcadia Creek Festival Site renovation project
provides a highly-used public location for change and innovation.
Input on plant selection and design approaches should be provided
to Downtown Kalamazoo Incorporated
for possible consideration. A preliminary design was released by
Downtown Kalamazoo Incorporated, but a final design may now have
been completed with different elements. Favored approaches, all
concerns of interest to the Steering Committee, include:
- the use of pervious paving materials,
-
landscaping with native vegetation,
- elimination of a foot bridge over the pond (too easy to throw
trash into the water below),
-
continued periodic pond maintenance practices,
-
buffer strip landscaping around the lowest areas of the
sediment pond to discourage waterfowl and reduce maintenance
costs,
- creation of no-mow areas, and
- strategically located educational signage and guidelines for
festival site users .
Longer term alternatives to stormwater management should be sought
for the urban core of Downtown Kalamazoo. Roof tops, streets, parking
lots and other impervious man-made structures all have significant
impacts on the quantity and quality of stormwater reaching Arcadia
Creek. Viable options must be identified and implemented.
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