4.92 Miles
0 - 4.92
Coldwater
2023
Poor
Elevated Water Temperature
Unknown Pollutant
Portage
Yes
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
North Branch of Ten-mile Creek / Ditch 5 is 10 miles long and is managed as a Class I and Class II trout stream. The lower eight miles was ditched in the early 1900’s to drain the land for agricultural use. This portion of the stream is dredged periodically to remove sediment and vegetation from the channel. Other impacts to the stream include heavy irrigation, which reduces base-flow, pesticide use, streambank pasturing, barnyard runoff, and sedimentation from wind erosion and discharges from cranberry marshes.
In-stream concentrations of nitrates have on occasion been as high as 15 ppm. Biotic index sampling results indicate good water quality.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
Ditch # 5 (N. Br. Tenmile Creek), from its mouth to Farmers Rd. (miles 0 to 4.92) was evaluated every two-year cycle from 2016 to 2022; elevated water temperature was found in the 2016 cycle and confirmed in subsequent cycles. Evaluation of bug communities found them in good condition. This stream segment is on the Impaired Waters List.
Ditch # 5 (N. Br. Tenmile Creek), from Farmers Rd. to the headwaters (miles 4.92 to 9.44) was evaluated every two-year cycle from 2016 to 2022; temperature and bug data indicated a healthy system. This stream segment is on the Healthy Waters List.
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
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 |
|---|
| 1384600 | Ditch # 5 | 10049551 | Ditch #5 at Elm | 11/15/2017 | 11/15/2017 | Map | Data |
| 1384600 | Ditch # 5 | 10009197 | North Branch 10 Mile Creek Above S. Branch Confluence Site 8 | | | Map | Data |
| 1384600 | Ditch # 5 | 10009198 | Ditch 5 / N Branch 10 Mile Creek Townline Rd Site 13 | 6/10/2014 | 8/30/2023 | Map | Data |
| 1384600 | Ditch # 5 | 10009199 | Ditch 5 / N Branch 10 Mile Creek Cth F / Mill Rd Site 12 | 8/21/2008 | 5/8/2021 | Map | Data |
| 1384600 | Ditch # 5 | 10049568 | Ditch #5 at Elm | | | Map | Data |
| 1384600 | Ditch # 5 | 503151 | Ditch #5 - Ditch No. 5 At Cth F - Below Check Dam Downstream Bridge | 10/7/1999 | 8/30/2023 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Ditch # 5 is located in the Sevenmile and Tenmile Creeks watershed which is 112.24 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (44.10%), agricultural (32.40%) and a mix of grassland (17.20%) and other uses (6.30%). This watershed has stream miles, lake acres and 10,480.58 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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.
Ditch #5 (N.Br. Tenmile Creek) is considered a 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.