Axtell Creek Scoring Table

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Link to the Selection of Sites for Action
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Background:

As part of the development of the Watershed Management Plan, critical areas, both along the creek corridors and within the watersheds, were identified. Kieser & Associates staff surveyed each creek corridor in March 2002 and collected the following information:

• Photographs for the website Watershed Tours
• Erosion and litter hot spots
• Water clarity
• Fauna observed
• Substrate type
• Riparian cover
• Development pressures

Based on these field surveys, each creek was divided into stretches having consistent riparian quality and land use. These data, along with data collected from other sources (such as storm sewer maps and water quality monitoring), were utilized to identify critical stretches and sites (having both a high quality and a low quality). The attached figures illustrate these scores.

The scoring procedure is based upon the addition of scores (0-3) for habitat quality, water quality and development pressures. Ten total parameters are involved in the development of the score (for a total of 30 points).

Habitat Quality

• Substrate
• Sinuosity
• Shading
• Riparian width and type
• Erosion
• Litter

Water Quality

• Clarity
• Number of discharge points

Development Pressures

• Proximity of road, rail roads, buildings
• Flood Storage Capacity and connections to the floodplain

The total score, derived from the addition of the individual scores for these parameters, provides a snapshot-in-time (March, 2002) assessment of each stretch's condition. Desired uses for each creek, as identified by the subwatershed committees, were compared to these scores to determine which stretches had the potential to meet these desired uses. Those stretches having the potential to meet these uses and having a high BMP efficacy, based on number of landowners, types of suitable BMPs and BMP costs, were targeted for restoration projects. Those areas having high scores, that are not already preserved, were targeted for preservation.

In 2004, each stretch was reevaluated based on new projects that have occurred in the watershed. The figures below illustrate the 2004 scores in comparison to the 2002 baseline condition.

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Baseline Scoring Table:

Stretch #	Stretch Location	Stretch Description	Score out of 30
1	Kalamazoo Well Field at Maple and Crosstown	Wooded wetland with ponded areas	28
2	Maple Street to Howard Street, along Crosstown	Channelized, some wooded and herbaceous vegetation, erosion locations	16
3	Howard Street to beyond Senior Apartments	Two decorative fountains, no riparian vegetation, erosion locations	11
4	Behind Paris Cleaners, at Axtell Creek Park	Mature deciduous trees on bank, wooden seawall at end	17
5	Westnedge to end of Ponds, behind National City Bank and Crosstown Ponds	Eroding ponds, area of flooding, large waterfowl population, litter accumulation, erosion along bank drive-thru	1
6	Near Jasper Street to confluence with Portage Creek at UpJohn Park	Erosion at start of stretch, narrow wooded riparian vegetation	12

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Figures:

Please click on a figure for an enlarged view.

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