4.04 Miles
0 - 4.04
Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2020
Good
Richland
Yes
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Brush Creek is a seepage fed stream that flows to the Richland Center Mill Pond. The stream supports a Class II trout fishery with some natural reproduction. Portions of the stream have been straightened which has had an effect on in-stream habitat in the creek. A cursory habitat evaluation was conducted on the creek in the summer of 2001. The survey found the habitat in the creek to be fair to good. The overall problem affecting habitat is nonpoint source pollution from the watershed. Brush Creek is currently the focus of citizen monitoring efforts through the Pine River Study and Information Network (PRISTINE).
One of the goals of the group is to identify sources of nonpoint pollution that affects streams and rivers in the Pine River system. The group also is developing a monitoring network to collect data on streams in Pine River watershed. Currently, volunteer monitors are surveying the turbidity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen of Brush Creek. Monitors have also assessed the stream's biotic community and instream habitat. This group has been collecting data on Brush Creek since June 2000. To see data collected by this group, visit http://members.tripod.com/nohrchapter/monitor_home.htm.
Date 2002
Author Cynthia Koperski
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
Monitor Fish Community
AU 13367, poor fIBI, Station 10031497
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 |
|---|
| 1226200 | Brush Creek | 10041730 | Brush Creek US of Bancroft Drive | 5/6/2014 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1226200 | Brush Creek | 10031495 | Brush Creek upstream of High School Driveway | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1226200 | Brush Creek | 10031497 | Brush Creek upstream of Buck Horn Ln | 8/11/2014 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1226200 | Brush Creek | 10013235 | Brush Creek (Uw Richland Center) | | | Map | Data |
| 1226200 | Brush Creek | 533073 | Brush Creek US of Covered Bridge Rd. | 5/23/2001 | 6/16/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1226200 | Brush Creek | 10031496 | Brush Creek upstream of Vivians Rd | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1226200 | Brush Creek | 10043998 | Brush Cr ~400M US of Vivians Rd off private dr | 1/1/2015 | 6/28/2020 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Brush 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.
Brush Creek is considered a 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) 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.