Seeley Creek

Seeley Creek Habitat Restoration

As water quality in the Rouge River continues to improve, the Seeley Creek Habitat Restoration project builds on past efforts to restore some of the damage done during the last century. Tributaries of the Rouge River have suffered from loss and impairment of aquatic habitat and increased frequency and magnitude of flood flows, primarily due to increasing urbanization within the watershed. The flat river slope and the meandering channel can not pass the large flows associated with rain events. Upstream urbanization continues to exacerbate this problem as runoff from increased amounts of impervious surfaces culminates in flooding within the river system, bank erosion, and continued habitat degradation. The project has enhanced habitat in the creek and adjacent floodplain by stabilizing the streambed, eroding banks, and adding stream substrate. Invasive species management was conducted to increase diversity of native plant species. The project has enhanced habitat for fish and aquatic species as well as improved habitat for birds, amphibian and terrestrial species.

In 2008 a morphological monitoring and assessment demonstrated that a portion of Seeley Drain was morphologically unstable due to entrenchment, and that habitat diversity was low due to a lack of coarse substrates, lack of stable woody debris, and lack of pool habitat.

The design included the addition of 30+ grade control structures using coarse river aggregates and woody debris to control bed erosion and create pool habitat. Coarse substrates were added to provide diversity to the creek bed. Grade control structures such as rock riffles have increased habitat diversity by directly adding coarse substrates, promoting natural sediment sorting (creating deposits of coarse debris), increasing flow velocity heterogeneity, and creating pool habitat. The overall stability of the aquatic habitats have been improved by reducing flow energy and bed/bank erosion. These efforts have resulted in 1,600 feet of restored/improved stream habitat.

In addition, restoration of approximately 5 acres of riparian wetland areas was designed and implemented. The wetlands were impaired by hydrological alteration and invasive species colonization. Erosional gullies had formed through the wetlands, which was promoting their drainage, decreasing their hydroperiod, and encouraging loss of native vegetation and establishment of invasive species. These conditions also impaired their water quality function by preventing or reducing naturally filtering processes. To restore the wetlands, the gullies were filled, and stabilized, invasive species were treated and managed using the most effective means available, and native wetland species were planted.

Funding and Partners
This project was funded by the U. S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office with an approximately $815,000 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant to the Alliance of Rouge Communities for design and implementation in 2019 (Grant # GL-00E02700-1) Partners in this project include the U.S. EPA, GLRI, ARC, and the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioners Office

Where and When
Seeley Creek is located in the City of Farmington Hills, Michigan and is a tributary of the Upper Branch of the Rouge River. Project design began in 2019, with the majority of construction occurring in 2023. Maintenance and project wrap-up will be occurring throughout the spring and summer 2024.

Outcomes
Improved channel stability and reduce erosion & sedimentation Improved aquatic habitat diversity and stability Provided important aquatic habitat for redside dace, a Michigan endangered species Improved wetland habitat diversity & function Public education opportunities

Reports and More Information
Seeley Creek Habitat Restoration Public Education Flyer

Photo History of Project:

Conditions Before Restoration

Large flows associated with rain events has caused flooding within the river system, bank erosion and continued habitat degradation.

Bank erosion and exposed roots associated with
large flows from rain events.

Conditions After Restoration

BEFORE: Gully erosion was problematic because it drained surrounding wetlands that many native plants and animals depended on. Another problems is that the soil washed downstream and smothered downstream habitat.

AFTER: Gully was filled with soil and armored with rock riprap to help keep soils from washing downstream. Invasive vegetation was removed and native vegetation was planted to provide better wildlife habitat and increase plant and animal diversity.

Some branches were cut from nearby native wetland shrubs to create live stakes that were planted to grow into new native wetland shrubs.

After removing invasive vegetation that crowded out many other native plants, a wide variety of native seeds, live stakes, and trees were planted. Native plantings provide valuable food and cover habitat for many different types of wildlife.

Rocks were placed in the stream to help protect the bed
and banks from erosion and provide spawning habitat for
fish and other aquatic animals.

Large wood log structures were installed in the stream to stabilize the streambed and to create fish and wildlife habitat. Bubbly flow over the log improves water quality and increases dissolved oxygen that aquatic animals need to breath underwater.