Puchyan River, Fox River - Berlin,Big Green Lake Watershed (UF06)
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Puchyan River, Fox River - Berlin,Big Green Lake Watershed (UF06)
Puchyan River (145200)
13.96 Miles
0 - 13.96
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.
Warm Mainstem, COOL-Warm Headwater
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.
2015
Poor
 
This river is impaired
Elevated Water Temperature
Unknown Pollutant
 
Green Lake
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.
Yes

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.
Restricted Aquatic Life
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
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

Puchyan River, in the Big Green Lake and Fox River - Berlin Watersheds, is a 16.30 mile river that falls in Green Lake County. This river is managed for fishing and swimming. The Puchyan River from its mouth to Puchyan Millpond is currently considered impaired.

Date  2018

Author  Ashley Beranek

Puchyan River, Fox River - Berlin,Big Green Lake Watershed (UF06) Fish and Aquatic LifePuchyan River, Fox River - Berlin,Big Green Lake Watershed (UF06) RecreationPuchyan River, Fox River - Berlin,Big Green Lake Watershed (UF06) Fish Consumption

General Condition

The Puchyan River, from Puchyan Millpond to Green Lake (miles 14.3 to 15.04), was evaluated for phosphorus and found to be in good condition. This segment is on the Healthy Waters List.

Date  2022

Author  Ashley Beranek

Impaired Waters

The Puchyan River from its mouth to Puchyan Millpond (miles 0 to 13.96) was evaluated every two-year cycle from 2014 to 2018; phosphorus and biology were in good condition, but temperatures were elevated. This water was added to the impaired waters list in the 2016 cycle for elevated water temperature.

Date  2018

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

2022 WQ Assessment Puchyan Millpond and River
2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Big Green Lake TWA WQM PLAN 2017 (UF07)
Big Green Lake TWA WQM Plan 2017 [UF07] Presentation
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
TP Assessment Package Report UF07 2003 to 2013
Macroinvertebrate Assessment Package Report UF07 2003 to 2013
Upper Fox River Basin TP Reports
PUCHYAN RIVER, GREEN LAKE COUNTY, CITY OF GREEN LAKE WWTP USE DESIGNATION

Recommendations

Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands

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
Mill Race River at Mill St2006
Wetland Restoration Database2016
Puchyan River at CTH J2006

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
145200Puchyan River10012447Puchyan River At Cth J6/25/20021/1/2015MapData
145200Puchyan River243013Puchyan River - A Cth J Nr Green LakeMapData
145200Puchyan River10056017Puchyan River Large River IBI StationMapData
145200Puchyan River10040832Puchyan River DS of CTH A7/23/20131/1/2015MapData
145200Puchyan River243027Puchyan River at Cth A (Bi)5/8/197911/9/1979MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Puchyan River is located in the Fox River - Berlin watershed which is 208.74 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (39.30%), wetland (32%) and a mix of forest (13.60%) and other uses (15.10%). This watershed has 328.14 stream miles, 453.54 lake acres and 41,067.20 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium 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

Puchyan River is considered a 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.

Warm Mainstem waters are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with relatively warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.