Work in Progress

Over the past several decades, Ox Creek and its surroundings have been damaged by pollution from industrial sites, illegal dumping, historical disinvestment in local infrastructure, and increased flooding, sedimentation, and nutrient loading due to changing land uses and weather patterns. As a result of this legacy, Ox Creek’s water quality and surrounding landscape need improvement. The creek appears on Michigan’s 303(d) list because it is not meeting the state’s designated use for “other indigenous aquatic life and wildlife” due to changes in flow, sedimentation / siltation, and solids from changes in stream banks, runoff from impervious surface (such as parking lots) and other urban sources, and storm sewers.

However, Ox Creek is much more than just a tributary of the Paw Paw River passing through an underserved community en route to Lake Michigan. Ox Creek stands as a vital environmental and social feature woven into Benton Harbor’s urban fabric. The degraded Ox Creek corridor bisects the city of Benton Harbor, forming a natural barrier impeding mobility between underserved neighborhoods on both sides.

The corridor, once restored, will serve as a pivotal connector linking neighborhoods with each other, downtown, and Berrien County’s largest commercial corridors along Pipestone Road and Napier Avenue near I-94. Moreover, a restored Ox Creek will provide improved habitat for fish and wildlife, safe spaces for the community to be outside and interact with nature, and opportunities for thoughtful, multi-use economic development.

Ox Creek also links Benton Harbor residents with their history, social life, and natural environment. Benton Harbor residents remember Hall Park as a gathering place and a healthy creek they could play in, fish, and enjoy. These recollections of family gatherings and recreational experiences have been a driving force behind the overarching vision for restoring Hall Park and Ox Creek back to their central role as assets for nature and the community. 

To help realize this evolving vision, the City of Benton Harbor has formed the Ox Creek Collaborative Partnership (Partnership), which works together to apply for funding and build projects that meet community needs. The Partnership includes representatives from the City of Benton Harbor; Benton Charter Township, Abonmarche, Inc.; the SWMPC; the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and University of Michigan. 

The Partnership developed the Ox Creek Revitalization Plan (Draft) as a roadmap and framework to guide the future restoration and revitalization of Ox Creek. This Plan provides a summary of the existing suite of ongoing and planned projects in the Ox Creek corridor.  This Plan presents a unifying vision and can be used to build community support, foster partnerships among local and external organizations, and facilitate larger investments from public and private entities. The Partnership drafted the Plan in 2024 through review and synthesis of existing plans, including those described above, and other ongoing efforts.