The Pine Creek Watershed Project is an ongoing effort to address non-point source pollution throughout this beautiful 48,000 acre watershed in south central Dickinson County, Michigan. Based on previous EPA grants, which created a Pine Creek Watershed Management Plan and installed twelve Best Management Practices, the watershed received a Clean Michigan Initiative Grant (CMI) that targets sediment and nutrient pollution. The sources of these pollutants include road crossings, forest harvest practices, agriculture, cropland erosion, ORV trail crossing, and eroding streambanks. During the three-year CMI grant, which began in June 1999 and ended June 2003, approximately 20 Best Management Practices will be implemented, on a cost-share basis, with watershed landowner/partners. The watershed has also received funding from an EPA Section 319 grant to promote education about Best Management Practices and non-point source pollution control.

     The grants to the Pine Creek Watershed are administrated by the Dickinson Conservation District, 102 N. Hooper St., Kingsford, MI 49802, (906) 774-8441. Please contact Carol Kurtz or Ann Hruska with questions.

     About the Pine Creek Watershed...

     Pine Creek watershed covers about 47,350 acres of land and water bodies.

     The watershed includes the following named creeks that feed into Upper or Lower Pine Creek: Fern Cr., Seibert's Cr., Hosking Cr., Harding Cr., Mounty's Cr., Steele Cr., Haigh's Cr., Brown's Cr., Waterworks' Cr., Scott's Cr., Section 19 Cr., Section 20 Cr., Lost Lake Creek, plus about 20 small, un-named feeder streams.

     There are about 16 lakes or ponds in the watershed, including The Hanna Mine Ponds, Lost Lake, Harding Lake, Scott Lake, Carney Lake, Rock Lake, Pine Creek Lake, Pohlson's Lake, and Benton Lake.

     The north end of the watershed was developed as the Groveland Mine, which operated until 1980. The large open-pit iron mine established several sedimentation and tailings ponds (Hanna Mine Ponds - 850 acres) that now form the headwaters of Pine Creek.

     The mouth of Pine Creek enters the Sturgeon River in Loretto.

     The largest land use in the watershed is forest land, with 74% of the area being forested. A large portion of the watershed lies in the Copper Country State Forest.

     One of the most striking geologic features in the watershed is a large granitic bluff range, listed on Michigan's Natural Features Inventory.

     The designated uses of Pine Creek are as a Top and Second Quality Cold Water Fishery, with some tributaries being Second Unlit Warm Water Fisheries.

     Also read about the Pine Creek Watershed History.