Overview

The East River travels north through Brown County and roughly parallel to the Fox River. The majority of the stream flows through agricultural lands, then through the urban areas of Allouez, De Pere and Green Bay before discharging into the Fox River. The lower seven miles of the East River is effected by a seiche effect from Green Bay. The seiche effect tends to keep sediment suspended in the water column. This 39-mile river has very hard water and is very turbid. Stream bank cover is very poor, many of the banks are pastured and are highly eroded. Significant amounts of agricultural fertility are added to the stream from pasturing and enriched runoff. The stream bottom consists of silt and clay. Instream cover is sparse and aquatic invertebrates scarce. Stream habitat assessment surveys indicate poor to good habitat and macroinvertebrate studies indicate poor to fair water quality. Many storm sewers discharge to the lower stretch of river creating higher velocities and turbid water. Data from a USGS monitoring operated at Monroe Street (Green Bay) during 1986 was used to estimate a sediment loading rate of 125 Tons/mi2/yr and a total phosphorus loading rate of 1,128 lbs/mi2/yr. Water chemistry data showed this area to be in a degraded state with BOD-5 load levels of 11 milligrams per liter (mg/l), total phosphorus levels of 1.91 mg/l, fecal streptococcus levels of 730,000 colonies/100 milliliter (ml) and fecal coliform levels of 1,410,000 colonies/100 ml. There are three point source facilities which discharge treated wastewater (one industrial and two municipal facilities-please refer to the point source tables for the East River Watershed for more information). Recent fisheries surveys indicate that northern pike utilize the marshy areas of the river located in Bellevue for spring spawning. Walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and yellow perch are found in the lower four miles of the East River.

Bougie, Cheryl A. 1999. Lower Fox River Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Public Review Draft. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1999

Author  Cheryl Bougie

Impaired Waters

East River, from its mouth to unnamed tributary (119300) (miles 0 to 14.15) and from unnamed tributary (119300) to headwaters (miles 14.15 to 42.25), was put on the Impaired Waters List for phosphorus, suspended solids, and unspecified metals during the 1998 cycle. This river was evaluated every two-year cycle from 2014 to 2022; high phosphorus levels were confirmed. This water is part of the Lower Fox River Basin TP and TSS TMDL, approved in 2012.

Date  2022

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

Recommendations

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

East River is located in the East River watershed which is 206.32 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (43.70%), suburban (19.50%) and a mix of grassland (14.70%) and other uses (22.10%). This watershed has 432.18 stream miles, 7,625.39 lake acres and 6,193.00 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High 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.