Sixmile Branch, Blue River Watershed (LW09)
Sixmile Branch, Blue River Watershed (LW09)
Sixmile Branch (1212800)
4.09 Miles
4.08 - 8.17
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
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
Unknown
 
Iowa
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.
No
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.
WWSF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.
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.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

Sixmile Branch is a spring-fed tributary to the Blue River. The stream is considered a Class II trout stream. Bank erosion and scouring can be a problem due to narrow and steep grade. The state has a small number of easements in the middle of the creek. Data on the creek was last collected in 1993.

Date  2002

Author  Cynthia Koperski

Historical Description

From: Smith, Tom D., and Ball, Joseph R., Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Grant County, Department of Natural Resources, 1972. Surface Area = 6.00 acres, Length = 4.5 miles, Gradient = 16 ft./mile, Flow = 8.6 C.F.S.

A spring-fed stream beginning in northwestern Iowa County and flowing in a ,~esterly direction to empty into the Blue River six miles sOuthwest of Muscoda. Big Spring. Branch, its main tributary and a good trout stream, enters from the southeast in the lower reaches. The drainage basin is narrow and steep, consequently bank erosion and channel scouring is common. A small population of brown and brook trout provide a limited fishery. Forage species are common and have been taken commercially in the past. Fishing pressure is light. Game assets include muskrats, mink, and most of the upland varieties. Two water control structures are scheduled for the upper reaches in Iowa County as part of the Blue River P.l. 566 Watershed Project. These t~ structures should greatly increase the trout-carrying capacity of this stream. The Blue River provides navigable water access. Two bridge crossings and a town road paralleling the stream also provide points of public access. Five dwellings adjoin the stream.

Date  1972

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Historical Description

Six Mile Creek - Mouth location T7N RlE Section 6 -10, Surface area = 1.6 acres, Length = 1.6 miles, Gradient = 62.5 feet per mile, Total alkalinity = 258.0 mg/l, Volume of flow = 2.0 cfs.
Six Mile Creek is classified as a warmwater seepage stream which begins in Iowa County and flows westerly into Grant County where it enters the Big Spring Creek. It is very small in Iowa County and although much of the watershed is cleared for farming bank erosion is moderate. Two single purpose dams are scheduled for construction in the headwaters which will provide protection to the downstream reaches. Only forage fish namely redbelly dace, creek chubs, stoneroller minnows, fathead minnows and fantail darters are present. There are no public lands and no road crossings in Iowa County.

From: Piening, Ronald and Threinen, C.W., 1968. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Iowa County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1968

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Sixmile Branch, Blue River Watershed (LW09) Fish and Aquatic LifeSixmile Branch, Blue River Watershed (LW09) RecreationSixmile Branch, Blue River Watershed (LW09) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Sixmile Branch (1212800), from the mouth to the Grant-Iowa county line, 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

Control Streambank Erosion
The Harry and Laura Nohr Chapter of Trout Unlimited will undertake a River Management project on the Six Mile Creek Branch. This project will stabilize the stream banks to improve water and substrate quality for brown and brook trout and other cold-water species. Project deliverables include: 1.) Tapering eroding banks with a goal of 8:1 where possible and armoring the toe, 2.) Installing habitat devices to enhance trout population size and structure, 3.) Using root wads to create structure where possible, 4.) building and installing bank hides/cribs/lunker structures in critical points, 5.) Increasing and improving gravel riffle areas where conditions allow, 6.) Seeding and mulching disturbed soil with grass mixes.
Protect Riparian or Shorelands
This project will stabilize the stream banks to improve water and substrate quality for brown and brook trout and other cold-water species. Project deliverables include: 1.) Tapering eroding banks with a goal of 8:1 where possible and armoring the toe- 2.) Installing habitat devices to enhance trout population size and structure- 3.) Using root wads to create structure where possible- 4.) building and installing bank hides/cribs/lunker structures in critical points- 5.) Increasing and improving gravel riffle areas where conditions allow- 6.) Seeding and mulching disturbed soil with grass mixes.

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

Watershed Characteristics

Sixmile Br is located in the Blue River watershed which is 216.19 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.60%), grassland (29.40%) and a mix of agricultural (20.80%) and other uses (8.20%). This watershed has 513.46 stream miles, 416.83 lake acres and 5,825.06 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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

Sixmile Branch is considered a 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) 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.

More Interactive Maps