Paint Creek (Washtenaw County, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paint Creek |
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Paint Creek from Liss Road in Augusta Township
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 Location within the state of Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| Counties | Monroe and Washtenaw |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Pittsfield Township, Michigan 827 feet (252 m) 42°13′48″N 83°40′49″W / 42.23000°N 83.68028°W |
| River mouth | Stony Creek London Township, Michigan 646 feet (197 m) 42°05′05″N 83°34′47″W / 42.08472°N 83.57972°W |
Paint Creek is a small stream in Michigan, USA. It flows mostly through Washtenaw County. The creek then joins Stony Creek near the border with Monroe County.
Interestingly, "Paint Creek" is also the name of a small, old community. This community started way back in 1829. It's located right along the creek in Augusta Township.
The Community of Paint Creek
A community called Paint Creek was started by James Miller in 1829. It was built along the creek in southwest Washtenaw County. The local Chippewa people called the creek "Wejinigan-sibi." This name means "Paint Creek." Later, English settlers also used the name Paint Creek for the settlement.
A post office was opened in Paint Creek on January 15, 1833. It was an important stop for mail between Monroe and Ypsilanti. The area where the community is located became Augusta Township in 1836. The Paint Creek post office was the first one for the township.
Over time, the post office's name changed. It became Newcomb in 1881 and then Willis in 1887. The Willis post office is still open today. The community of Paint Creek is now a small, unofficial area. It is just west of Willis and north of Whittaker. The creek itself flows north to south right next to this area.
About Paint Creek
Paint Creek starts in Pittsfield Township. This is near the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. From there, it flows north briefly through Ypsilanti. It passes near the Huron River and Ford Lake. Then, the creek turns south. It winds its way through Ypsilanti Township and Augusta Township.
The creek finishes its journey when it meets Stony Creek. This meeting point is in London Township in Monroe County. Paint Creek is one of the main streams that feed into Stony Creek. Stony Creek flows much further, all the way to Lake Erie.
Paint Creek is known as a "cold-water stream." This means its water is colder than average. It gets some of its water from underground sources, which helps keep it cool.
There are no dams along Paint Creek. Many smaller streams and drainage canals also flow into it. The biggest branch of Paint Creek is called West Branch Paint Creek. It is about 4 miles (6.4 km) long and starts near Ypsilanti. Because of a lot of farming in the area, this part of the creek can sometimes flood. Also, new buildings in Pittsfield Township and Ypsilanti could affect the upper part of Paint Creek.
Many bridges cross Paint Creek. These include crossings under major roads like Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 12. Some of the smaller bridges in rural areas need repairs.
Did you know there are two other streams named Paint Creek in Michigan? One is in Iron County in the Upper Peninsula. Another Paint Creek is in Oakland County, not too far from this one.
Fish and Fishing in Paint Creek
Paint Creek used to be a special stream for fishing. It was stocked with brown trout in the past. However, because not many people fished there, the stocking stopped in the early 1990s.
Scientists still check the fish in the creek. They are looking into whether it could become a good fishing spot again. In 2010, a study found over 20 different kinds of fish in Paint Creek! The most common fish were creek chub and green sunfish. Other fish included white sucker, central mudminnow, bluegill, and bluntnose minnow. Some rarer fish like common carp and largemouth bass were also seen. Only two trout were found in that study. Trout don't naturally reproduce well in this creek.
There are plans to make Paint Creek more accessible for people. This includes adding more parks and trails along its path. A project is also planned to help restore the creek. This would improve the water flow and access, especially in the more developed areas. Paint Creek was once the only trout stream in the region. But it has recently been listed as an "impaired river" by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Restoring the creek could help more fish live there. It might even allow for trout stocking again in the future.
