Project Overview
In Winter 2006 The Watershed Center started work on a large project to reduce stormwater pollution and eroding stream banks along Kid’s Creek in downtown Traverse City. This $116,000 project is funded through the Michigan DEQ Nonpoint Source Pollution Program and is in partnership with the City of Traverse City and the Grand Traverse Conservation District.

Stormwater inputs are a primary concern throughout the Kid's Creek subwatershed because of the resulting changes to hydrologic flow and potential to contribute to excessive sediment, nutrients, and toxins to the bay and its watershed. Due to a high amount of impervious (non-pourous) surfaces (24.7% in Boardman Lake watershed and greater than 40% in downtown areas), the City of Traverse City generates large amounts of stormwater during rain and snow melt events and city officials consider stormwater to be a high priority issue.

Kid’s Creek experiences severe changes in flow (called flashiness) due to stormwater inputs during storm events. This causes regular flooding upstream of a number of culverts within the city limits. This flashiness has led to scoured stream bottoms and increased sedimentation (from eroding stream banks) within the stream, which further leads to a lack of suitable habitat for aquatic life. This is one of the main reasons that Kid’s Creek is on the state impaired waters list and is said to be in “nonattainment” for state water quality standards due to a lack of macroinvertebrates, which are small insects (See Section 4.1 and 5.3 of Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Protection Plan). “Stormwater and spring snowmelt runoff create problems in Kid’s Creek,” says City Manager Richard Lewis. “This new project will take us one step closer to a long term solution to the flooding and erosion problems residents have been experiencing.”

Read below to find out more about specific projects we are working on as part of this grant. We expect all work to be completed by December 2007.