Superior, WI - Official Website

Faxon Creek Watershed

Faxon Creek Pictures

Faxon Creek Data

City of Superior
1316 North 14th Street
Superior, WI 54880

Faxon Creek

About Faxon Creek

Faxon Creek Watershed Map

Pictures of Faxon Creek

Monitoring Data

Macroinvertebrate Data

Faxon Creek

~ About Faxon Creek

Faxon Creek, which is approximately 3 miles long, drains wetlands near Tower Ave and 39th Street, as well as wetlands on the grounds of the Richard Bong Municipal Airport. Ditching to the south of the airport has diverted nearly 100 acres of surface drainage area away from the South Superior sewer district to the Faxon Creek watershed. From the airport, Faxon Creek flows northwest through three campuses, including Northern Lights Elementary, University of Wisconsin Superior, and Superior High School, as well as heavily developed residential areas. Faxon Creek is channelized underground for its last half mile before feeding into Superior Bay near Barkers Island.

Faxon Creek often floods in Central Park because the water backs up against the underground channel that begins at the northeast end of the park. This pipe has a 10-foot diameter and cannot accommodate heavy rain events. To reduce flooding, the City removed 250 feet of the top half of the channel, as well as the swing gate. Bank erosion is apparent along much of Faxon Creek. In 2006, the City’s Environmental Services Division received a grant from the Great Lakes Commission to use the portion of Faxon Creek in Central Park as an erosion control demonstration project. Stay tuned in 2007 to see pictures as this project unfolds.

Though a number of streams wind their way through the City of Superior, many of them exist on the outskirts of town where development is not extensive. Nearly all of Faxon Creek's length, however, flows through some of the most developed areas of the city and its riparian area (the vegetated buffer between the stream and upland areas) has been removed. This is especially true of the new developments along Tower Avenue, near the stream’s headwaters, where runoff rates have increased. Monitoring data (see below) show that the stream drops most of its sediment load in Central Park before entering an underground pipe for its final run into the Lake. The water most likely slows down enough in the park for the sediment to settle out of the water.

~ Faxon Creek Watershed Map

data viewer

Map Source: Wisconsin DNR Surface Water Data Viewer

The map below shows the watershed boundaries of Faxon Creek (green shaded area) within the City of Superior.

watershed boundaries

Map Source: CTE Superior, Wisconsin Surface Water Management Plan

Below: an aerial photo of Faxon Creek in Central Park

aerial photo of Faxon

Below: A figure showing the vegetation types within Central Park.

vegetation on Faxon

~ Pictures of Faxon Creek

Faxon Creek

The western tributary of the Faxon Creek begins upstream of this picture, which was taken from 28^th St. Faxon Creek is pictured here as it exits the culvert under 28th Ave on its way through UWS. Sampling data is taken from this site, which is the furthest upstream site of the three sampling sites.

The eastern tributary, looking upstream to where it crosses under 28^th St.

Faxon Creek

The southeast tributary has undergone severe erosion from recent development near its banks. The riparian area has been removed, causing downcutting and bank slumping.

The two tributaries meet near Superior High School, where this culvert marks the crossing of the creek. Since the lawn is mowed nearly up to the creek border, there is a good chance that fertilizer and grass clippings are getting into the water, which can be detrimental to stream health.

Faxon Creek

Faxon Creek crossing under Hill Avenue and into Central Park. There is more water in the stream as it nears Lake Superior.

Central Park provides a riparian border, though it is composed of non-native species such as reed-canary grass, pictured here on the left bank.

Faxon Creek

This picture shows more of the erosion problems facing Faxon Creek. Diseased trees were removed from the park in winter 2006, and the branch debris settled in the creek.

On April 11, 2002, Faxon Creek flooded in Central Park. Flooding like this is often a result of too much water and not enough space in the storm sewer system. This area of the park was once dammed, and residents could rent boats to float about on the pond.

Faxon Creek

Central Park is also where Faxon Creek becomes channelized for its final run into Lake Superior. The small opening serves as a plug, which causes the water to back up into the park. Our second sampling site is downstream of where the creek enters this channel.

Faxon Creek

The residents around Faxon Creek love to tell stories about how high the water can rise!

When the water recedes, some of it stays behind in the small floodplain adjacent to the stream.

Faxon Creek

Faxon Creek exits its underground channel near Barkers Island and empties into Superior Bay. This is our last sampling site.

As the creek enters Superior Bay, the warm stream water melts the ice layer. The light blue stripe in the ice in the background shows where the ice cutter keeps the shipping lane open. The trees on Minnesota Point are visible up in the distance.

Faxon Creek

~ Monitoring Data

Each set of three data points from the same date are connected by a line for ease of interpretation. At times, one or more data points are made smaller than the others when the three data points overlap. Faxon 3 is the furthest up stream, Faxon 2 is in Central Park, and Faxon 1 is at the mouth of the stream.

To learn more about how we collected the stream data, and how to interpret the data, click HERE.

data