3.38 Miles
0 - 3.38
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2015
Good
Richland
Yes
Yes
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Smith Hollow Creek is a Class I trout stream tributary to Willow Creek. It is also classified as an exceptional resource water (ERW). Water quality is considered to be very good and the stream supports some natural reproduction of brook and brown trout. Nearly three fourths of the watershed has been cleared for agriculture and intensive grazing causes streambank erosion. In the early 1990ýs, fisheries management noted a decline in trout population in the stream, with nonpoint source water pollution being the suspected cause.
Date 2002
Author Cynthia Koperski
Historical Description
Smith Hollow Creek is a Class I trout stream (WDNR, 1980) tributary to Willow Creek.
It is also classified ERW. Water quality is considered to be very good (Eagan, 1985').
Intensive grazing causes streambank erosion (Eagan, 1985, WDNR, 19912.7). Fisheries
Management has noted a decline in trout population in the stream, with nonpoint source
water pollution being the suspected cause (WDNR, 1991).
Date 1994
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
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
| Project Name (Click for Details) | Year Started |
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Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 1223000 | Smith Hollow Creek | 10051256 | Smith Hollow DS Pregal Dr | | | Map | Data |
| 1223000 | Smith Hollow Creek | 10037970 | Smith Hollow Creek at Robin Hollow Creek confluence | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1223000 | Smith Hollow Creek | 10044144 | Smith Hollow Creek - Robin Hollow Rd bridge | 7/29/2015 | 7/29/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1223000 | Smith Hollow Creek | 533018 | Smith Hollow Creek - Robin Hollow Rd | | | Map | Data |
| 1223000 | Smith Hollow Creek | 10013224 | Smith Hollow Creek (Confluence With Willow) | 10/23/1991 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1223000 | Smith Hollow Creek | 104412 | Smith Hollow Crteek | | | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Smith Hollow Creek is located in the Willow Creek watershed which is 153.08 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (52.10%), grassland (22.50%) and a mix of agricultural (16.80%) and other uses (8.60%). This watershed has 339.41 stream miles, 64.58 lake acres and 3,605.43 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.
Smith Hollow 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.