Restoring Life to a Stream

Restoring Life to a Stream. . , In 1997, restoration began on Coffee Creek. The goal was to slow erosion and provide habitat for wildlife. Over 2,000 feet of stream bank has been restored and the health of the creek and the creatures who live here have increased dramatically., In some areas, steep banks were reshaped and planted with native plants such as red osier dogwood and prairie cord grass to stop erosion., Pools and riffles were created to slow the water's speed and create areas for fish and insects to rest., What is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that drains into a stream or river. To protect aquatic habitats, we also must protect the urban forest and soils around them. The Coffee Creek watershed is roughly 10,000 acres, indicated in this aerial photo by the red line. The blue line represents Coffee Creek and its tributaries. Did you know each of us lives in a watershed?, Who lives here? Since stream restoration began, insect larvae and other macroinvertebrates have increased in Coffee Creek. A wide diversity of life in a stream indicates a healthy aquatic habitat. Because the water quality has improved, steelhead trout have also returned in good numbers. Scud, Stonefly Larva, Riffle Beetle, Mayfly Larva, This project was made possible in part by a grant from the USDA Forest Service Northeast Area and Indiana DNR, Community and Urban Forestry.