6.11 Miles
0 - 6.11
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater
2015
Good
Richland
Yes
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Horse Creek is a spring and seepage fed tributary to the Pine River. The stream is considered
a Class II trout stream and has some natural reproduction of brook trout. A cursory habitat
evaluation of the creek was completed in the summer of 2001. The evaluation found the
creek to have fair in-stream habitat. The overall problem that affects habitat in this creek is
due to nonpoint pollution from streambanks instability and erosion. This sedimentation
covers up available stream bottom and limits in-stream habitat. If the sources of nonpoint
pollution are controlled, the stream has the potential to become a Class I trout stream.
Historically, the stream has had problems with manure discharges adjacent to the stream.
This situation is currently being addressed, but the stream still has to deal with over a decade
of phosphorus loading from animal waste.
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
Horse Creek is the primary source of stream flow into Cedar Lake (Cedar Lake is
recommended as a priority Lake in this plan), which is a lake that experiences abundant algae
growth which often impairs lake use. Horse Creek is a source of nutrients which contributes to
the use impairments experienced in Cedar Lake. This stream and watershed should be
considered a high priority for nonpoint source control.
Date 1992
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.
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 |
|---|
| 1226800 | Horse Creek | 533074 | Horse Creek at Site 32b Near Richland Center WI | 5/23/2001 | 10/17/2001 | Map | Data |
| 1226800 | Horse Creek | 10055646 | Horse Cr US Hidden Valley Rd | | | Map | Data |
| 1226800 | Horse Creek | 10029840 | Horse Cr. Station 3 along Hwy A | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1226800 | Horse Creek | 10029839 | Horse Cr. Station 2 along CTH A | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1226800 | Horse Creek | 10014203 | Horse Cr US Covered Bridge Rd | | | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Horse Creek is located in the Upper Pine River watershed which is 179.98 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (52.80%), grassland (29%) and a mix of agricultural (12.50%) and other uses (5.60%). This watershed has 404.04 stream miles, 92.10 lake acres and 3,397.98 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium 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.
Horse 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.