Projects
Improving Ox Creek
Benton Harbor/St. Joseph River Harbor Projects
| Grant Title/Program | Grantee | Amount | Project Description | Location | Project Period/Project Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Project Fund | City of Benton Harbor | $3,000,000 | General project funds for various development and designs costs; engineering, architectural and other professional fees; and outreach and communications, including events and materials. | Ox Creek Corridor | In progress – awarded through 2031 |
| Michigan Department of Natural Resources Spark Grant | City of Benton Harbor | $958,000 | Renovations to Hall Park, including basketball courts, pathways, lighting, and creation of a trailhead for the Ox Creek Trail, which will connect downtown Benton Harbor, all of the neighborhoods surrounding the creek and large retail area. | Hall Park | In progress – construction to be completed by 2026 |
| NOAA/FY22 Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities, Under the IIJA | SWMPC | $1,000,000 | Develop habitat restoration plan and plan and construct on-the-ground pilot restoration projects. Also funds a position at the city for outreach/education and public engagement activities. | Hall Park to Napier | In progress |
Google – Ox Creek Stream Habitat Restoration Pilot Project | Cornerstone Alliance | $150,000 | Supplements NOAA funding to expand stream habitat restoration project at Hall Park. | Ox Creek – Hall Park | In progress – awarded fall 2023 |
| NFWF/Sustain Our Great Lakes 2023 | City of Benton Harbor | $600,000 | Restore the creek and the riparian corridor habitat using nature-based solutions to increase resiliency for increased and more intense storm events and fluctuating Lake Michigan water levels. | Hall Park/Ox Creek | In progress – awarded fall 2023 |
| Berrien Community Foundation/For Good Grant | SWMPC | $3,000 | Design and install an Ox Creek installation sign for the public at Hall Park | Hall Park | In progress – complete by 2026 |
| EPA/FY23 GLRI Non-competitive Focus Area 3 | EGLE – Office of the Great Lakes | $1,059,022 | Design and install a rain garden to reduce stormwater runoff at I-94 retail area; and design and construct parking lot with a rain garden/bioswale at Hall Park to improve access and water quality. | I-94/ Pipestone Area & Hall Park | In progress – awarded fall 2023 |
| FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law | City of Benton Harbor | $1,032,500 | Engage and empower the community to remove large marine debris (estimated 15,000 yd3); contribute to the preservation of NOAA trust resources, preventing harm to aquatic habitat and dependent species; and develop collaborative solutions and education to prevent illegal dumping. | Ox Creek | In progress |
| U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service/ Great Lakes Restoration Initiative- Cooperative Weed Management Area | Berrien County Conservation District | $27,400 | Manage invasive species at Hall Park/Ox Creek corridor. | Hall Park /Ox Creek corridor | In progress – awarded fall 2023 |
| EPA/Brownfield Assessment Grant | EGLE Remediation and Redevelopment Division | Statewide Funding – a portion for Benton Harbor | Statewide award for site assessments, phase 1 assessments, incremental sampling along trail corridor | Ox Creek Corridor and selected sites | In progress |
| National Sea Grant/Compound Flood Hazards | Michigan Sea Grant | $500,000 | Develop a probabilistic compound flood hazard assessment tool and evaluation of countermeasures for disadvantaged communities in Berrien County, MI and provide a framework to extend the analysis throughout the Great Lakes. | Benton Harbor/St. Joseph and Milwaukee | In progress |
| Army Corps of Engineers/Flood Plain Management Services Program | City of Benton Harbor | Technical assistance (value $200,000) | Field work to determine floodplain and HCRAS model development. | Ox Creek Corridor – I-94 to confluence with the Paw Paw River | Completed |
| EPA/Technical Assistance for Brownfields | City of Benton Harbor | Technical assistance | Assistance with community engagement, prioritizing sites for investigation and redevelopment sites. | Ox Creek Corridor and other sites in Benton Harbor as needed | Completed |
| Benton Harbor Brownfield Redevelopment Authority/ Local Remediation Revolving Fund | University of Michigan | $75,000 | Work plan development to include addressing environmental cleanup and due care obligations associated with redevelopment of the Ox Creek corridor. | Ox Creek Corridor | Completed |
| EGLE Water Resources Division/MiCorps | Berrien County Conservation District | $2,501 | Volunteer Cleanup Volunteer Ox Creek Clean Up | Hall Park/Ox Creek Corridor | Completed |
| Heart of Cook/Earth Day Grant | Berrien County Conservation District | $5,000 | Hold Earth Day events at Hall Park in 2023 & 2024 | Hall Park | Completed |
Some of the water quality issues that the above projects
will address include the following:
HIGH STORMWATER VOLUME
Stormwater is water from rain or melting snow. It flows from rooftops, over paved streets, sidewalks and parking lots, across bare soil, and through lawns and storm drains. High volumes overwhelm the capacity of the creek and cause flashy flows.
CONTAMINANT POLLUTION
Runoff collects and transports soil, trace heavy metals, salt, oil and grease, litter and other pollutants. This water drains directly into Ox Creek without receiving treatment at sewage plants. In Rural areas fertilizers and pesticides are washed into the creek.
SEDIMENT INFILL
The EPA lists sediment as the most common pollutant in rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs. Sediment deposits in creeks can alter the flow of water and reduce water depth, which makes navigation and recreational use more difficult.
DEGRADED HABITAT
Murky water prevents natural vegetation from growing in water and prevents animals from seeing food. Sediment in stream beds disrupts the natural food chain by destroying the habitat where the smallest stream organisms live and causing massive declines in fish populations.