15.82 Miles
0 - 15.82
Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Cool-Warm Headwater
2021
Good
Waupaca
Yes
Yes
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The Class I trout portion of Whitcomb Creek is listed as an Outstanding Resource Water in NR 102. The good water quality of this stream is threatened by nonpoint sources in the watershed. Fisheries Management believes that this stream could be even better with the installation of best management practices. There are also problems with beaver activity in the area.
From: Bougie, Cheryl A., Kosmond, Lisa D, and Watermolen, Dreux J. 1996. Wolf River Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1996
Author Cheryl Bougie
General Condition
Whitcomb Creek (WBIC 283400) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus, biological (macroinvertebrate and fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores), and temperature 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.
Date 2017
Author Ashley Beranek
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
| Project Name (Click for Details) | Year Started |
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Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10047463 | Wetland [ID 69423692670] | | | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10047465 | Wetland [ID 69423692295] | | | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10028747 | Whitcomb Creek At Swamp Road | 5/21/2008 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 693155 | Whitcomb Creek at Cth G | 4/13/1995 | 10/1/2005 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10038899 | Whitcomb Creek at Boelter Rd | | | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10022430 | Whitcomb Creek Off Of Cth G Just South Of Boelter Rd | 7/31/2007 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10016223 | Whitcomb Creek - County Highway 00 | 5/15/1979 | 10/21/2015 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10022370 | Whitcomb Creek Upstream From Cty Rd Oo | 5/3/2004 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10014774 | Whitcomb Creek at Cth E | | | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 693128 | Whitcomb Creek at Cth E | 8/17/1995 | 8/27/2015 | Map | Data |
| 284200 | Unnamed | 10047464 | Wetland [ID 69423692615] | | | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10047464 | Wetland [ID 69423692615] | | | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10015759 | Whitcomb Creek - Downstream 1250 Feet Of Cth E(Public Easement) | 4/25/2000 | 4/25/2000 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 693156 | Whitcomb Creek at West Hill Rd | 3/5/1996 | 10/27/2021 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 693153 | Whitcomb Creek at Jossie Rd | 3/5/1996 | 3/5/1996 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10051542 | Whitcom Creek Campbell Lake Road | | | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10040637 | Whitcomb Creek near CTH G bridge | 5/14/2003 | 4/3/2006 | Map | Data |
| 283400 | Whitcomb Creek | 10022029 | Whitcomb Creek Hwy G Dnr Property | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Whitcomb Creek is located in the Lower Little Wolf River watershed which is 153.60 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (33.10%), forest (28.50%) and a mix of wetland (22.20%) and other uses (16.20%). This watershed has 189.20 stream miles, 1,038.51 lake acres and 21,932.16 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.
Whitcomb Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Cool-Warm Headwater 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 (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.
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.