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Go to the scoring table
Go to the figures
Link to the Selection
of Sites for Action
View the BMP Table
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
|
Headwaters to Oakland
Hills Golf Course |
Wetlands, part of
Gourdneck State Game Area |
30
|
|
2
|
Oakland Hills Golf
Course to end of residences east of Oakland Drive |
North banks mowed,
south banks wooded, close residential and recreational uses |
16
|
|
3
|
West end of Dogwood
Trail |
Wooded riparian edge
separated from residences |
26
|
|
4
|
East end of Dogwood
Trail and Creekside Commons wetland |
Residences mow lawns
to north creek bank, isolated wetland area appears to be secluded
from commercial development |
25
|
|
5
|
Between residence
and Creekside Commons north to Portage Bandshell |
Lawn mown at residence,
erosion at Centre Avenue, shrub vegetation north from Centre
to Bandshell |
15
|
|
6
|
City of Portage Bandshell |
Mown lawn on east
bank, shrubs on west, trout rehabilitation at north end |
25
|
|
7
|
Westnedge Avenue
to behind Derk's Restaurant |
Eroding banks, little
vegetation, very close development |
11
|
|
8
|
From behind Derk's
to beginning of Bicentennial Park (creek crosses under rail
road bridge), Garden Lane area |
Wooded and grassed
riparian edges, rail road close to east, lawn mown to banks
at commercial building, snapping turtle nesting north of Garden
Lane, Consolidated Drain discharge at Garden Lane |
23
|
|
9
|
City of Portage Bicentennial
Park |
Pedestrian and wheeled
trail along creek, wide separation in some areas with shrub
and herbaceous wetland areas, observation decks, canoe rental |
28
|
|
10
|
Milham Park |
Heavily used park,
bank erosion, no riparian vegetation, stormwater overland flow |
10
|
|
11
|
Blanch Hull Preserve
and Monarch Mill Pond |
Riparian habitat,
impacts only from rail road, little development |
24
|
|
12
|
Cork Street to Alcott
Street |
Allied Paper Superfund
Site, being restored |
21
|
|
13
|
Alcott Street to
Stockbridge Street |
Former Portage Paper
factory and along Reed Court, creek channelized underground
and in concrete |
8
|
|
14
|
Stockbridge Street
to Lake Street |
Scrub vegetation,
some close development, poor banks |
12
|
|
15
|
Lake Street to Crosstown
Parkway |
Along south side
of UpJohn Park, narrow strip of wooded vegetation, confluence
with Axtell Creek |
15
|
|
16
|
Crosstown Parkway
to Vine Street |
Mown lawn, no riparian
vegetation, eroding banks, Jasper Street and Crosstown Parkway
in close proximity |
10
|
|
17
|
Vine Street to Walnut
Street |
Steep banks, some
trees, some concrete banks with close development |
9
|
|
18
|
Walnut Street to
confluence with Kalamazoo River |
Scrub vegetation
and fill, eroding banks, litter and stormwater inputs, steep
banks near confluence (south of M43) |
7.5
|
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