Water Detail - Brush Creek, Middle Kickapoo River Watershed (LW05)

Brush Creek, Middle Kickapoo River Watershed (LW05)

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Brush Creek (1198300)

Size

10 Miles

Segment

2.83 - 12.83

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 Mainstem, Cool-Cold 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

General Condition

Excellent

County

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.

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.

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

Brush Creek begins in south central Monroe County and then flows into north central Vernon
County. This stream flows in a southeasterly direction for 10.2 miles before reaching the
Kickapoo River at Ontario. Brush Creek has a gradient of 42 feet per mile and drains one of the
most intensely farmed areas of the Middle Kickapoo River Watershed. Brush Creek is a
Class III trout stream for 7.7 miles in Monroe County and non-trout in Vernon County.
The most recent survey, conducted in 1990, documented brown trout and numerous forage
fish species. The stream bottom is dominated by sand and silt with gravel found in the
upstream reaches. In-stream cover consisted primarily of woody debris and deep pools.
Streambank erosion is common along much of Brush Creek, some of which is naturally
occurring and some of which is exacerbated by overgrazing of livestock. Brush Creek should
be resurveyed after conclusion of the Middle Kickapoo River Priority Watershed Project in
2004. WDNR records indicate Brush Creek has been stocked yearly since 1961 with brown
trout. Access to Brush Creek is from six road crossings.

From: 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

Historical Description

Brush Creek, T14N, R2W, Section 2. Surface Acres = 6.1, Miles = 2.5, Gradient = 15.4 feet per mile.
A clear, hard water tributary of the Kickapoo River that flows in an easterly direction and joins the river in Ontario. Forage fish species appear abundant, including white sucker, common shiner, creek chub, central stoneroller and suckermouth minnow. The stream has primarily sand bottom with small amounts of silt, gravel, and hardpan. Four road crossings provide access. Muskrat are significant, and a small number of migrant puddle ducks use the water.

From: Klick, Thomas A. and Threinen, C.W. 1973. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Vernon County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date 1973

Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Brush Creek, Middle Kickapoo River Watershed (LW05) Fish and Aquatic Life

Brush Creek, Middle Kickapoo River Watershed (LW05) Recreation

Brush Creek, Middle Kickapoo River Watershed (LW05) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Brush Creek (WBIC 1198300) 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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

Brush Creek, Brush Creek Station 1 - South Garden St., Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

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
Fish Propagation Actions	2001

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10013977	Brush Creek Station 1-1962-Ne 1/4 Se 1/4 S36-Starts At Hwy 33 Bridge Crossing.	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10030823	Brush Creek near Nevada Rd	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10013980	Brush Creek Station3-1983-Se 1/4 Sw 1/4 S31-Starts At Omnibus Road Bridge Crossing.			Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10015876	Brush Creek - 75 Yds. Above 17th Ave. Bridge -Road To Brush Creek Campground	4/25/1990	4/25/1990	Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10013978	Brush Creek Station 2-1962-Nw 1/4 Ne 1/4 S36-Starts At Confluence With Heuser Valley Creek.			Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10033408	Brush Creek at 17th drive 200 ft. DS of bridge L. Kampf property	1/6/2000	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10044680	Brush Creek at Driveway off of Nevada Rd	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10013979	Brush Creek Station 3-1962-Sw 1/4 Se 1/4 S31-By Church			Map	Data
1198300	Brush Creek	10015865	Brush Creek - 75 Yds Above Bridge On 17th Ave. -Road To Brush Creek Campground	4/21/1994	1/1/2015	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Brush Creek is located in the Middle Kickapoo River watershed which is 246.53 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (55.20%), grassland (24.30%) and a mix of agricultural (15.30%) and other uses (5.20%). This watershed has 585.18 stream miles, 145.14 lake acres and 3,360.69 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Available 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

Brush Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold 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 (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.

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