The Conservation Foundation, in collaboration with the Aux Sable Creek Watershed Coalition, is working to remediate and prevent degradation of the Aux Sable Creek watershed. In the late 1990s, the IDNR determined that the Creek was a Class A stream, the highest quality you can find. This recognition that local stakeholders (landowners, local governments, and more) have been doing “the right thing” is gratifying. Yet, the pace of development is so rapid that we need to continue efforts to improve development practices, avoiding approaches that have been proven to be detrimental to creek quality. Studies show that as impervious area increases in a watershed, a creek’s quality degrades – they are directly connected. The nonpoint source pollution that comes from water running off construction sites, lawns, city streets, parking lots, farm fields, and livestock facilities flows into the Aux Sable Creek and its tributaries and contains soil particles, oil from our cars, fertilizer, and other pollutants. It is not treated. This project seeks to reverse those findings and work to protect the creek and the quality of life for the communities growing into the watershed. The proposed project includes two components: 1) updating and strengthening the Aux Sable Creek Watershed Plan and 2) education and outreach to protect the Creek.

We must continue work to position the community to initiate and continue projects to remediate and protect the Aux Sable Creek and its watershed.