Storm water run-off in North Bendigo can be laced with sediment that damages the Long Gully Creek's health.

The water course runs close to Holdsworth Road and flows into the Bendigo Creek, which is becoming increasingly polluted as the city's population rises.

Urban sprawl is bringing more roads roads, footpaths and other surfaces that water cannot soak into, council storm water engineer Maria McCrann said.

"You get a bit more silt and sometimes rubbish washing into the creek. So what we want to do is find a way to filter the storm water and make a more healthy ecosystem," she said.

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The council wants to build shallow "wetland ponds" near Webdon Street to capture storm water run-off.

Sediment would have time to settle to the pond floor before remaining storm water run-off filtered through plants and fed back into the creek.

Story continues below map (the red circle shows the part of the project the council wants feedback on)

It is the same process being used by Traditional Owners the Dja Dja Wurrung downstream at sites in Knight Street and The Boulevard in White Hills.

Those artificial wetlands were built earlier this year.

Testing is showing that the water there is cleaner. More frogs and birds are appearing as traditional plants grow.

The council is closely watching the Dja Dja Wurrung's wetland projects, which were shaped using knowledge passed down from Elders.

More on those projects:

Ms McCrann is also watching to see if there are any design lessons for her and other council engineers.

"One of the bit aspects we are looking at is how easy it is to clean sediment out of ponds so that it doesn't block the whole system," she said.

"The sediment basins are where we want to capture the big stuff (like silt). Then water flows into another section where plants filter everything.

"It's not going to be a yuck, horrible drain. ... We want to create good spaces for the community." Ms McCrann said.

The area could one day connect to bike paths that the council wants to create in Long Gully, though that idea is beyond the scope of the current wetland project.

"We'd also like to create other little wetland areas around there (the Webdon Street area). So you would have a chain linkage," Ms McCrann said.

"That too will be something for the future, depending on when we get more funding."

The council is reaching out to the public to help shape the first stage of the project.

"We want to see what people consider is important and what thoughts they have about the project," Ms McCrann said.

To have your say visit www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/LGCW or email CWID@bendigo.vic.gov.au

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