Mill Creek Watershed

The Mill Creek Watershed has an area of approximately 34.2 square miles and contains 156.8 stream miles.

The table below shows the various land use percentages for the watershed.

Water Quality Impacts

The Mill Creek Watershed has a large number of point source discharges. There are many small treatment plants scattered throughout the watershed. Overgrowth of algae, which contributes to fish kills by depleting oxygen, has been a particular problem at the Mill Creek Cutoff. High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, which cause algae overgrowth, are common. Removal of trees along the banks has allowed sunlight to sharply raise the water temperature, which has threatened aquatic plant and animal communities. In addition, fecal bacteria levels in the stream have exceeded recreational standards in about one-third of the water samples. Destruction of wetlands has reduced the watershed's capacity to filter pollutants and to absorb floodwaters.

The following table summarizes point sources in the Mill Creek Watershed.

Monitoring

MSD has performed monitoring activities within the Mill Creek Watershed.

Strategies

MSD is currently in the process of prioritizing Jefferson County watersheds for development of a water quality-based evaluation tool. A schedule has not been established for the development of a water quality tool for the Mill Creek Watershed.

Project Implementation

As was stated before, the watershed contains SSOs point source discharges, and non-point source water quality impacts. MSD has undertaken both water quality and habitat improvement projects within the Mill Creek Watershed.

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