4.64 Miles
8.97 - 13.61
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2015
Excellent
Jackson
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The South Fork Beaver Creek begins in western Jackson County and flows west for 11 miles before joining the North Fork in Ettrick. The stream gradient is approximately 16 feet per mile. Sand and silt are the major components of the streambed, with rare occasions of gravel. In-stream cover is limited to fallen trees and debris. Streambank pasturing and exposed banks contribute sand to the stream. Tributaries to the South Fork mainly contain forage fisheries. Lack of habitat and flow preclude trout in many of these streams (WDNR, 1986).
Habitat surveys conducted on the South Fork in 1996 documented little improvement since the 1986 surveys. Fishery surveys did document a slight increase in the number of brook trout at one sampling station. This increase comes after a 58% decrease in the number of stocked trout. Trout numbers remained largely unchanged since 1986 in the tributaries; however, more young of the year were documented. Improvement in fish cover, such as overhanging bank vegetation and lunker structures, may partially explain why more young fish were found (Hazuga).
From: Koperksi, Cindy. 1999. Black River Water Quality Management Plan (draft). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
Author Cynthia Koperski
General Condition
South Fork Beaver Creek (WBIC 1681000) 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.
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
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.
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
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 1681000 | South Fork Beaver Creek | 10008527 | South Fork Beaver Creek -1000' | | | Map | Data |
| 1681000 | South Fork Beaver Creek | 10029765 | South Fork Beaver Creek - Erickson road | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1681000 | South Fork Beaver Creek | 10009915 | South Fork Beaver Creek - Lee School Rd # 10 | | | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
South Fork Beaver Creek is located in the Beaver Creek and Lake Marinuka watershed which is 160.31 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (54.90%), agricultural (23.20%) and a mix of grassland (14.30%) and other uses (7.60%). This watershed has 375.97 stream miles, 229.76 lake acres and 3,765.47 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and Medium for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Medium. 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.
South Fork Beaver Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, 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) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent,
mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to 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.