The overall goal of the Fumee Creek Watershed Project is to protect and restore Fumee Creek and the lakes and streams within the watershed from further degradation due to non-point sources of pollution. Addressing the water quality issues in this urban watershed will allow the watershed project to effectively maintain and/or improve the surface water quality within the watershed. The intention is to maintain and restore the current designated uses of warm and cold water fisheries. Meeting water quality standards necessary for productive fisheries will also result in water quality attainment for other Michigan designated uses. Ultimately, if future funding is secured, the implementation phase of the Fumee Creek Watershed Project will contribute to attaining water quality standards necessary for the Menominee River and Lake Michigan to meet requirements for Michigan's designated uses.

Proposed identified BMP implementation sites are designated to reduce and/or eliminate three critical pollutants that have the greatest negative impact on the surface waters of the Fumee Creek Watershed. The first and most damaging critical pollutant is sediment and possible associated components of nutrients, pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals, oils, and road salts. Sediment pollution concerns are compounded by the fact that over half of the watershed is covered by easily erodible soil types of very fine/fine sandy loams. Second is the excessive nutrient loading associated with runoff from residential and urban land uses. The third critical pollutant found in the watershed is hydrologic flow fluctuations as a result of stormwater runoff from an increasing amount of impervious surfaces.

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