York Creek Management Plan - Location
2.1 Location
The York Creek watershed consists of 2,110 acres (3.3 square miles) located in west central Kent County, Michigan. The watershed is situated primarily in Alpine Charter Township, with a small downstream portion located in Plainfield Charter Township. The areas furthest downstream are located in the City of Walker (Figure 1). Additional location detail is displayed in the York Creek Watershed Base Map (Figure 2).
York Creek is approximately six miles in length, including tributaries, and is the primary water body in the watershed. One of the tributaries is the Alpine-Walker Drain, a designated county drain originating in what is now the Green Ridge Shopping Center on Alpine Avenue. The drain designation continues along the entire length of the tributary to its confluence with York Creek at Four Mile Road. There are a few small private ponds and detention basins in the watershed. A number of these existing basins are not currently functioning properly in their role of controlling local stormwater runoff. This may be because of design or maintenance inadequacies. Investigation of several basins in the area of Four Mile Road and Alpine Avenue is being conducted by local municipalities and agencies to more precisely determine the extent of remediation measures required.
Additional basins are currently being developed as commercial and residential development expands within the watershed. Nearly all of York Creek downstream from the intersection of Four Mile Road and York View Drive has been channelized or otherwise straightened. This translates into approximately 18% of the stream system.
Figure 1. The York Creek Watershed
Figure 2. Base Map - York Creek Watershed