Indian Creek, a tributary of Moxlie Creek, is an urban creek that has an extensively modified basin. A railroad grade in the lower section and channelization in the upper reaches has confined the channel. A shallow lake forms the headwaters of creek and several riparian wetland areas lie along its length. Indian Creek joins Moxlie Creek near Union Ave and Plum St.

Moxlie Creek has its headwaters and much of its length in the City of Olympia's Watershed Park. Single-family residential development surrounds riparian areas in the basin. The lower reach is almost entirely within a pipe, passing through a long culvert under Interstate Highway 5, surfacing for a short length to be joined by Indian Creek, and then piped under downtown for 1/2 mile to its outfall in east Budd Inlet. Residential and commercial development along the piped portion of the creek discharge stormwater directly into the pipe.

Urban development has impaired many of the natural processes in Indian and Moxlie Creeks. Impervious surfaces and resulting stormwater, compounded by channel modification and stream piping, have altered hydrologic functions. In most of the developed areas of the watershed, existing densities preclude retrofit to meet current stormwater standards to protect flow and water quality.

Although the riparian canopy is good, except in the upper reaches of Indian Creek, LWD recruitment is quite low. The intact riparian area of Moxlie Creek within Watershed Park provides very good cover. The trail system in this City of Olympia park provides good public access to observe salmon spawning. Natural sandy substrates and a lack of gravel in parts of Indian and most of Moxlie also contribute to low spawning habitat and food production for juveniles (benthic macroinvertebrates). Given high imperviousness, storm events impair water quality. Fish passage in Indian Creek is significantly impaired as there are a series of partial and impassable barriers along the entire length. Passage through the one-half mile piped section of the Moxlie Creek under downtown Olympia, though not technically a barrier, may act as a deterrent for adult fish. The estuary at the mouth has been significantly altered by filling and dredging.

Although the Indian/Moxlie system has been highly impacted and targeted for additional development growth, there is still the need to protect the existing habitats and reduce the degree of impacts future development could impose on it's natural processes. A strong outreach/education element exists with the Watershed Park located on Moxlie Creek.

Description from the Salmon Habitat Protection and Restoration Plan for Water Resource Inventory Area 13, Deschutes. For more information see the previously stated document or the Salmon Habitat Limiting Factors Final Report Water Resource Inventory Area 13