Council Creek, Little Lemonweir River Watershed (LW29)
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Council Creek, Little Lemonweir River Watershed (LW29)
Council Creek (1341600)
6.27 Miles
3.58 - 9.85
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.
Cool-Cold Headwater, 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
Good
 
Monroe
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.
Yes
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.
No

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.
Supported Aquatic Life
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
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.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.
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.
Cold
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Overview

Council Creek, located in eastern Monroe County, flows in a northerly direction for 10 miles
before reaching the South Fork of the Lemonweir River east of Tomah. This stream has a very
low gradient of 5.5 feet per mile and drains hilly agricultural and wooded land as well as
lowland pasture and portions of the City of Tomah. The uppermost 4 miles is a Class III trout
stream while the remainder of the stream supports forage fish species.
The most recent biological survey, conducted in 1981, documented brook trout, white sucker
and numerous forage fish species. The stream bottom consisted mainly of sand and silt with
lesser amounts of gravel and rubble. Fish cover consisted of undercut banks, rocks and woody
debris. Bank erosion was moderate. WDNR has not stocked Council Creek since 1969.
Access to Council Creek is from seven road crossings.

Ripp, Coreen, Koperski, Cindy and Folstad, Jason. 2002. The State of the Lower Wisconsin River Basin.
PUBL WT-559-2002. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  2002

Author  Cynthia Koperski

Council Creek, Little Lemonweir River Watershed (LW29) Fish and Aquatic LifeCouncil Creek, Little Lemonweir River Watershed (LW29) RecreationCouncil Creek, Little Lemonweir River Watershed (LW29) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

Council Creek, from its mouth to I-90 (miles 0 to 3.58), was listed in 2014 for phosphorus and degraded biology. These listings were confirmed in the 2016 and 2018 cycles. This segment is on the Restoration Waters List because it has an approved TMDL.

Council Creek, from I-90 to the headwaters (miles 3.58 to 9.85), was evaluated in 2016 and 2018 for biology and found in good condition. This stream segment is on the Healthy Waters List.

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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment

Recommendations

Monitor Aquatic Biology
Conduct biological (mIBI or fIBI) monitoring on Council Creek, WBIC: 1341600, AU:13111

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
Monitoring Recommendations Stemming from CWA / IR Listings2000

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
1341600Council Creek10014008Council Creek Station 119-1946-Nw 1/4 Sw 1/4 S28MapData
1341600Council Creek10011368Council Creek - Council Creek Station #1 8m Upstream From Hiawatha Bridge11/17/20091/1/2015MapData
1341600Council Creek10011369Council Creek - Council Creek Station #2 Bridge On Hertz Rd10/14/20041/1/2015MapData
1341600Council Creek10014010Council Creek Station 122-1946-Sw 1/4 Ne 1/4 S21 (atHilldale Ave)11/17/20091/1/2015MapData
1341600Council Creek10014009Council Creek Station 120-1946-Ne 1/4 Ne 1/4 S32 (atInterlude Rd)11/17/20091/1/2015MapData
1341600Council Creek10014007Council Creek Station 118-1946-Ne 1/4 Sw 1/4 S16 (atHighland Ave)11/17/20091/1/2015MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Council Creek is located in the Little Lemonweir River watershed which is 218.01 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (33.10%), agricultural (28.30%) and a mix of wetland (17.20%) and other uses (21.40%). This watershed has 488.22 stream miles, 1,656.86 lake acres and 18,277.64 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked 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.

Natural Community

Council Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Headwater, 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.

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.

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