7.90 Miles
11.59 - 19.49
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2015
Poor
High Phosphorus Levels
Total Phosphorus
Jackson
Yes
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The North Fork Beaver Creek is Class II brook and brown trout water. Of the 27 tributaries to the North Fork, 18 are Class I, four are Class II, and one is a Class III trout stream. Four tributaries contain forage fisheries. The stream gradient is approximately 17 feet per mile. Streambank pasturing of livestock and cropland erosion reduce in-stream habitat. Sand and silt are the major components of the streambed. Riprap has stabilized some banks between Ettrick and Beachs Corners; however, other banks within this reach are eroding. Logs and fallen trees provide some areas of in-stream cover (WDNR, 1986).
Habitat surveys of the North Fork Beaver Creek conducted during 1996 indicate improvement at several sites, however many sites remain unchanged from 1986. The fishery surveys documented higher densities of trout, however the number of stocked trout had also increased over the 1986 levels. The Class II designation is not likely to change. Most tributaries to the North Fork contained more young of the year trout than recorded in 1986. Improved habitat in these streams may explain the increased numbers of young trout (Hazuga).
From: Koperksi, Cindy. 1999. Black River Water Quality Management Plan (draft). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
Author Cynthia Koperski
Impaired Waters
North Fork Beaver Creek (1682500) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceed 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, available biological data do not indicate impairment (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the "poor" condition category).
Date 2015
Author Aaron Larson
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 |
|---|
| 1682500 | North Fork Beaver Creek | 10013420 | North Fork Beaver Creek-County Hwy N Crossing | 4/27/2007 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1682500 | North Fork Beaver Creek | 10029761 | North Fork Beaver Creek - Lien rd upper crossing | 5/22/2008 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1682500 | North Fork Beaver Creek | 10030067 | N. Fork Beaver Creek at East Lien Road Crossing | 5/26/2009 | 5/26/2009 | Map | Data |
| 1685000 | Unnamed | 10030069 | Unnamed Creek Upstream of Confluence with N. Fork Beaver Creek | 5/26/2009 | 5/26/2009 | Map | Data |
| 1682500 | North Fork Beaver Creek | 10054788 | Line Fence Between Sections 16 and 17 | | | Map | Data |
| 1682500 | North Fork Beaver Creek | 10013419 | North Fork Beaver Creek-Lein Rd. Crossing | 11/17/1987 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1682500 | North Fork Beaver Creek | 10030068 | N. Beaver Creek West Lien Road Upstream of Confluence | 5/26/2009 | 5/26/2009 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
North 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.
North 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.