Sinnipee Cr, Galena River Watershed (GP01)
Sinnipee Cr, Galena River Watershed (GP01)
Sinnipee Cr (943200)
2.50 Miles
0 - 2.50
Natural Community
Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.
Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
Year Last Monitored
This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.
2018
Unknown
 
Grant
Trout Water 
Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.
No
Impaired Water 
A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.
Supported Aquatic Life
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
Attainable Use
The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.
WWSF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.
Designated Use
This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

Sinnippee Creek is a tributary to the Mississippi River in southern Grant County. The Village of Kieler operates a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that discharges to the creek. The reach of the stream from the Kieler WWTP outfall downstream to the headwater springs is an effluent channel and is classified as a Limited Aquatic Life (LAL). From the springs downstream to the Mississippi River, the creek is a full fish and aquatic life stream (Schlesser, 1989). In 1998, DNR conducted stream monitoring on a reach of the stream in response to local concerns about the quality of the water and apparent lack of a fish community.

This monitoring was conducted at two sites within a mile of the Kieler wastewater treatment plant discharge site and no fish were found at either site. Natural habitat limitations were the reason no fish were found at the first site. Fish migration barriers in the form of elevated road culverts at road crossings were the apparent reason no fish were found at site two. Aquatic invertebrate sampling indicated good water quality, the predominance of cool water pollution intolerant amphipods and the observation of healthy leopard frogs gave support to the migration barriers being the cause of lack of fish in this reach. The conclusion upon evaluation of the information collected is that two factors, one natural and one man-made, limit potential biological uses of the stream. The natural limitation is that the stream is wide shallow and flows over bedrock. The human limitation is that road culverts were not set low enough and are now obstructing fish migration into the upper reaches (Marshall and Saltes, 1998). Acute and chronic toxicity tests done in 1998 indicated no toxicity problems (WDNR, 2000).

Date  2001

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

A moderate gradient, spring-fed stream beginning one mile northwest of Kieler and flowing southwest to enter the Mississippi River five miles above the Wisconsin.Illinois border. Nume!'ous small springs enter along the entire length of the stream and it has a good sand and gravel bottom. The lower reaches are wide and shallow due to water backed up by the Mississippi River. Largemouth bass and panfish provide a limited fishery near the mouth and forage species are commpn throughout. Carp and other rough fish also inbabit the lower reaches. The Kieler Sewage Disposal Pond located near the headwaters is a potential source of pollution. Muskrats and migratory waterfowl inhabit the 26 acres of timber swamp wetland near the mouth. Public access is possible from three bridge crossings and the Mississippi River. Five rural dwellings adjoin the stream.

From: Smith, Tom D., and Ball, Joseph R., Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Grant County, Department of Natural Resources, 1972. Surface Area = 3.27 acres, Length = 2.7 miles, Gradient = 59 ft./mile, Flow = 1.7 c.f.s. c

Date  1972

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Sinnipee Cr, Galena River Watershed (GP01) Fish and Aquatic LifeSinnipee Cr, Galena River Watershed (GP01) RecreationSinnipee Cr, Galena River Watershed (GP01) Fish Consumption

Condition

Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.

Reports

Management Goals

Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions [Learn more]. Waters that do not meet water quality standards are considered impaired and restoration actions are planned and carried out until the water is once again fishable and swimmable

Management goals can include creation or implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, a Nine Key Element Plan, or other restoration work, education and outreach and more. If specific recommendations exist for this water, they will be displayed below online.

Monitoring

Monitoring the condition of a river, stream, or lake includes gathering physical, chemical, biological, and habitat data. Comprehensive studies often gather all these parameters in great detail, while lighter assessment events will involve sampling physical, chemical and biological data such as macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish communities integrate watershed or catchment condition, providing great insight into overall ecosystem health. Chemical and habitat parameters tell researchers more about human induced problems including contaminated runoff, point source dischargers, or habitat issues that foster or limit the potential of aquatic communities to thrive in a given area. Wisconsin's Water Monitoring Strategy was recenty updated.

Grants and Management Projects

Monitoring Projects

Watershed Characteristics

Sinnipee Creek is located in the Galena River watershed which is 241.84 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (63.10%), grassland (26.40%) and a mix of forest (5.70%) and other uses (4.60%). This watershed has 572.33 stream miles, 65.18 lake acres and 681.01 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.However, all waters are affected by diffuse pollutant sources regardless of initial water quality. Applications for specific runoff projects under state or county grant programs may be pursued. For more information, go to surface water program grants.

Natural Community

Sinnipee Cr is considered a Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater under the state's Natural Community Determinations.

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results and DNR staff valiation processes that confirm or update predicted conditions based on flow and temperature modeling from historic and current landscape features and related variables. Predicated flow and temperatures for waters are associated predicated fish assemblages (communities). Biologists evaluate the model results against current survey data to determine if the modeled results are corect and whether biological indicators show water quaity degradation. This analysis is a core component of the state's resource management framework. Wisconsin's Riverine Natural Communities.

Cool (Cold-Transition) Headwaters are small, usually perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon (<10 per 100 m), transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

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