Willow Creek Restoration Project Underway
by Megan Bruce, staff writer

A wide floodplain of Willow Creek running westward from 143rd through a portion of the Oak Hills subdivision is the focus of a Stream Enhancement Project undertaken by Clean Water Services. Much of the preliminary work has been completed. The project will enhance over 67,000 square feet of emergent and forested wetlands.

A 330-foot-long berm (pile of dirt) has been removed from the floodplain. The berm had been constricting

the floodplain and blocking the connection between 9,000 square feet of wetlands and Willow Creek. The removal of over 3,000 square feet of material from the floodplain will restore the stream’s meander and improve the floodplain’s ability to store water.

So far much of the non-native plant life in the area has been removed and herbicides have been applied to prevent their return. The remaining invasive species, including Himalayan blackberry, English Ivy, Reed canary grass and more will be removed shortly and seeding of native species in the area will begin in spring 2006.

Thousands of native plants will be planted. Sometime between December 2005 and February 2006 approximately 5,000 native trees and shrubs will be planted in the areas currently covered by blackberries. This is expected to take about a week. Roughly 5.000 more native plants will go in during February or March 2006. It’s likely there will be an opportunity for volunteer planting parties, which will be announced in the News.
Maintenance of the area will include about four mowing events during the spring, summer, and fall. The cutting will be done by lawnmowers or chainsaws and is intended to protect the new plants from meadow voles. The cuttings will be scheduled carefully to minimize the effect on the areas nesting birds. The maintenance will continue for three to five years depending on need and will reduce annually until the area is returned to self-sufficiency as a wetland with a functioning native plant community.

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