The City of Oregon selected a stretch of Wolf Creek adjacent to the Oregon Recreational Complex for stream restoration, addressing BUI 6 (Degradation of Benthos), and BUI 14a (Loss of Fish Habitat.) This section of Wolf Creek is less than a mile from Pearson Metropark and only three miles from its mouth into Lake Erie. Improvement of Wolf Creek’s stream morphology will foster new instream habitat for fish and benthos. Additional improvements will benefit adjacent floodplain and wetland habitat.
The project’s objectives include improving 5,300 feet of streambank through regrading and vegetating, improving sinuosity (curves and bends) of the stream channel, restoring approximately 3.5 acres of floodplain habitat, and install 2.5 acres of riparian buffer. These improvements are expected to collect and slow runoff from 36 acres. The improved natural area will also provide more opportunities for passive recreation.
In July 2021, the City of Oregon received a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant from the US EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO.) In February of this year, the City of Oregon selected Mannik and Smith Group to provide professional services to design the stream restoration. Project construction will be competitively bid following final design, and construction is expected to begin in spring of 2023.
If you’re interested to learn more about this project’s history and current status, Don Nelson, Environmental Specialist with the City of Oregon, will present in more detail at the quarterly MAAC meeting on June 9th.