Rusk
Yes
Yes
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Becky Creek is a small coldwater brook trout stream located in Rusk County north of the Village of Bruce. Becky Creek’s headwaters are in the Blue Hills and its mouth is at the Chippewa River (figure 1). The lower 1.6 miles of the creek was placed on Wisconsin’s impaired waters (303d) list (figure 2) due to water temperature limitations. This stream segment was placed on the list based on the judgment of a former DNR fish manager for Rusk County, who felt the entire stream length had the potential to be a Class 1 coldwater trout stream. The lower segment is currently identified as supporting a warmwater fish community.
A portion of this lower segment had been heavily pastured for many years and also had a barnyard runoff problem in the past. The barnyard runoff problem was corrected several years ago, and a new landowner is no longer pasturing the streambanks. An assessment of lower Becky Creek was initiated in 2009 to determine if its placement on the 303d list is appropriate and to evaluate its potential for restoration. Drought and beaver dams caused lower Becky Creek to go dry in 2009, so the assessment was continued in 2010.
Date 2011
Author Craig Roesler
Overview
Becky and Alder Creeks - Both these Class I trout streams are seriously threatened by stream bank pasturing. Both receive direct barnyard runoff (Ernst 1987, 1992). and area fisheries management files describe extensive habitat degradation and have document problems relating to cattle operations, including bank erosion, habitat destruction and nutrient input.
Date 1996
Author Aquatic Biologist
General Condition
Becky Creek (highway 40 crossing to headwaters) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired. Biological data indicates that this water is considered in "good" condition for fish and aquatic life.
Date 2017
Author Ashley Beranek
Impaired Waters
The lower segment of Becky Creek (1.6 miles) should be removed from the 303d list of impaired waters and placed on the “watch” list. It was placed on the impaired waters list based on the professional judgment of a former DNR fish manager, who felt this segment had the potential to be coldwater and support trout.
It appears the lack of coldwater in this segment is due primarily to hydrologic conditions rather than land use practices. In 2009, groundwater discharge to the creek was restricted to the headwaters area in the Blue Hills, upstream of Imalone Road. The creek was rapidly losing water to the ground downstream of there and was completely dry before reaching the STH 40 crossing. Substantial discharge of cold groundwater to a stream is needed to maintain coldwater conditions for trout.
Additional observations of groundwater discharge to the creek should be made in the future during years of more normal precipitation. This would help verify that inadequate groundwater discharge to maintain cold water is a chronic condition.
Fish surveys since 1967 have not found trout present in the lower segment of Becky Creek. This suggests that even in periods of normal precipitation, groundwater discharge is inadequate to produce coldwater conditions there. The current DNR fish manager for Rusk County made the following comments in his 2010 survey report for lower Becky Creek - “The absence of trout in repeated surveys, our observations of instream habitat characteristic of warmwater fish communities, and this station’s proximity to the Chippewa River suggest that the current class 1 trout water designation may not be appropriate or attainable in the segment downstream of hwy. 40. Recommend review of current class 1 trout designation and current listing on CWA 303d listing of impaired waters.”
The formerly pastured area in the creek segment currently listed as impaired is showing signs of natural recovery. Streambanks were quickly revegetated with grasses and herbs once cattle pasturing stopped. Young woody vegetation is appearing and will begin to provide significant shading in several years. Some channel narrowing and point bar expansion were observed between 2009 and 2010.
Some of the very wide pools and steeply banked areas in the formerly pastured area will probably take much longer to improve. This stream section’s potential to only support a warmwater forage fish community does not justify making expenditures to artificially improve the stream channel. Natural scouring and deposition processes should eventually produce channel improvements.
The remainder of the impaired creek segment is located downstream of highway 40. This section of the creek should probably be classified as supporting a warmwater sport fish community.
Date 2011
Author Craig Roesler
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
Recommendations
Monitor or Propose 303(d) Listing
Becky creek was listed as impaired in 1998(e. coli) and 2004 (sediment) but since that time, the stream has been found to meet or exceed expectations and is proposed for delisting in 2012.
Monitor or Propose 303(d) Listing
Becky Creek assessment in 2009 included the following components:
- Continuous temperature monitoring at a site upstream of the impaired segment and a site within the impaired segment.
- Fish community surveys of a 300 meter section within the impaired segment, and a 300 meter section upstream of the impaired segment.
- Macroinvertebrate samples at a site upstream of the impaired segment and a site within the impaired segment.
- Stream width and depth measurements of the upper 634 meters of the impaired segment, and an 823 meter segment upstream of the impaired segment.
- A count of woody stems near the streambank in the upper 634 meters of the impaired segment (the formerly pastured area).
- Photos of the stream channel in the impaired segment at 6 locations in 2009 and 2010.
- Streamflow measurements at multiple sites on one date to assess the distribution of groundwater inputs.
Other existing data for Becky Creek was also reviewed and incorporated into this report.
TMDL (USEPA) Approved
Becky Creek is a cold water stream that flows out of the Blue Hills in the northwest portion of the Soft Maple and Hay Creek Watershed. TMDL for sediment and temperature was approved in 9/05.
TMDL Implementation
In the management plan for the priority watershed project, stream bank pasturing, county and township road maintenance and construction, riparian habitat degradation, upland sediment delivery, manure and nutrient runoff are identified in the watershed plan as sources of pollutants impacting Becky Creek. This information will be used for implementation of the TMDL.
Implementation Plan is needed.
TMDL Implementation
Becky Creek is a cold water stream that flows out of the Blue Hills in the northwest portion of the Soft Maple and Hay Creek Watershed. Becky Creek is 8.0 miles in length with a drainage area of 10.74 sq.miles. Its designated use is a coldwater fishery for its entire length. The mouth of Becky Creek is located in northeast Atlanta Township with its headwaters located in southern Murry Township. The creek flows directly into the Chippewa River. Becky Creek's watershed does not include any Indian County . Becky Creek is located within one of 11 subwatersheds that make up the Soft Maple and Hay Creek Priority Watershed. In the management plan for the priority watershed project, stream bank pasturing, county and township road maintenance and construction, riparian habitat degradation, upland sediment delivery, manure and nutrient runoff are identified in the watershed plan as sources of pollutants impacting Becky Creek.
TMDL (USEPA) Approved
Becky Creek TMDL Approved
Standards Details
This stream is a Class I trout water per NR 102.11 (1) (a) and is an exceptional resource water.
Date 2005
Author Aquatic Biologist
Management Plans
Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards (State Administrative Code NR 102) provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions. 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.
The management goals for Becky Creek are to ensure that the stream meets its potential as a cool (cold transiton) headwater stream. As a class I trout water and exceptional resource water, there are expectations for high quality fish and aquatic life. A TMDL for Becky Creek was prepared by WDNR and approved by the USEPA. This report is available under the "conditions" tab.
A site near the mouth of Becky Creek was monitored in 1995 and 2000. Both assessments indicated excessive bank erosion and fair fish habitat. Becky Creek at this location has widened and become shallower due to the bank erosion and sediment deposition. The shallow waters coupled with turbid conditions are elevating water temperatures.
Total phosphorus and suspended solids increased by 50 percent from a site only a mile downstream. The stream bank erosion is likely due to a combination of cattle access and flood flow scouring.
Management goals include reducing or eliminating stream bank pasturing and flashy runoff events that result in greater magnitude of flows and greater scouring and erosion.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
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
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 2369600 | Becky Creek | 10012998 | Becky Creek --Downstream From State Hwy 40. | | | Map | Data |
| 2369600 | Becky Creek | 10007963 | Becky Creek - Becky Creek Hwy 40 Station # 1 | 10/8/2000 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2369600 | Becky Creek | 10032171 | Becky Creek Upstream Highway 40 near old cattle crossing | 1/1/2015 | 11/4/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2369600 | Becky Creek | 553093 | Becky Creek - Low Site Hwy 40 Bridg | 5/10/1994 | 11/21/1994 | Map | Data |
|
Monitoring Studies
Assessment of Becky Creek in 2009 included the following components:
- Continuous temperature monitoring at a site upstream of the impaired segment and a site within the impaired segment.
- Fish community surveys of a 300 meter section within the impaired segment, and a 300 meter section upstream of the impaired segment.
- Macroinvertebrate samples at a site upstream of the impaired segment and a site within the impaired segment.
- Stream width and depth measurements of the upper 634 meters of the impaired segment, and an 823 meter segment upstream of the impaired segment.
- A count of woody stems near the streambank in the upper 634 meters of the impaired segment (the formerly pastured area).
- Photos of the stream channel in the impaired segment at 6 locations in 2009 and 2010.
- Streamflow measurements at multiple sites on one date to assess the distribution of groundwater inputs.
Other existing data for Becky Creek was also reviewed and incorporated into this report.
Date 2011
Author Craig Roesler
Monitoring Studies
WDNR monitoring surveys and sampling results from the Becky Creek subwatershed indicated that sediment was washed into the creek, degrading the habitat for the biotic (specifically, the trout) community. Sediment in the streams covers the stream bed, which can hinder spawning, reduce potential food sources for the trout, and can reduce the water volume in pools which can serve as a haven for trout in low flow periods or during hot weather.
At the time, there are no point sources on the waterbody segment. WDNR believes that the major sources of sediment to the creek are run-offs from pasture and croplands, streambank erosion from spring runoffs, and streambank erosion caused by trampling by livestock. These sedimentation sources were identified based on sampling conducted at a total of four sites in two separate sampling rounds, the first in 1995 and the second in 2000 (pages 2-3 of the final TMDL submittal).
Date 2005
Author Nicole Clayton
Watershed Characteristics
Becky Creek is located in the Soft Maple and Hay Creeks watershed which is 176.75 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (56.70%), wetland (19.20%) and a mix of agricultural (11.40%) and other uses (12.70%). This watershed has 266.14 stream miles, 1,050.89 lake acres and 14,185.57 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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.