In the agricultural portion of the stream the stream banks and hills are bare and erosion heavy due to cattle pasturing. In the residential area the stream is filled with litter an debris. Nonpoint source pollution, point source pollution and urban stormwater runoff singly or in combination cause sedimentation, low dissolved oxygen levels, all of which contribute to poor water quality. Dissolved oxygen and temperature were monitored to document swings in DO due to external factors like rain or plants. During mid-summer low flow conditions, most of Dutchman Creek and all of its tributaries dry up.
Bottom materials consist mainly of soft sediments.
Riffle areas are rare and there seems to be little scouring of the stream bottom. Streambanks are generally in poor condition and buffering is limited or absent. Crops and livestock dominate the riparian zone in the upper reaches, while residential, commercial and industrial land uses are dominate near the mouth. Hemlock Creek Hemlock Creek, a 7-mile stream, is impacted by low flow during the summer months. Streambanks are generally in poor condition and buffering is limited or absent.