Pleasant Valley Creek (18-2), Lower La Crosse River Watershed (BL04)
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Pleasant Valley Creek (18-2), Lower La Crosse River Watershed (BL04)
Pleasant Valley Creek (18-2) (1651000)
6.70 Miles
0 - 6.70
Natural Community
Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
Year Last Monitored
2018
Good
 
La Crosse
Trout Water 
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
No
Impaired Water 
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
Supported Aquatic Life
Attainable Use
LFF
Designated Use
LFF

Overview

Pleasant Valley Creek, also known as Creek 18-2, is located in central La Crosse County. This stream flows in a westerly direction for approximately six miles before reaching the La Crosse River. It has a gradient of 30 feet per mile and flows through agricultural land with heavy pasturing, rural housing, and a golf course. Pleasant Valley Creek has been channelized as it runs parallel to I-90. After flowing through culverts under I-90 and railroad tracks, then through wetlands, the stream ultimately reaches the La Crosse River. Pleasant Valley Creek is not a classified trout stream.

A 1988 stream survey of Pleasant Valley Creek documented only forage fish species. Streambank erosion due to livestock was causing degradation of in-stream fish habitat. An updated fish and habitat survey should be conducted on Pleasant Valley Creek to determine its current condition.

Water chemistry testing of streams throughout La Crosse County was initiated by the La Crosse County Land Conservation Department in 1998. Baseflow conditions were targeted for testing as the most likely to show normal water quality conditions. Sampling takes place four times annually when no rainfall or snowmelt has occurred during the previous 72 hours. Between 1998 and 2001, Pleasant Valley Creek met the county phosphorus goal in only 7% and the county fecal coliform bacteria goal in approximately 50% of the samples taken. These data indicate a nutrient load that is likely also contributing to high bacterial counts. The county ranks Pleasant Valley Creek in the top 25% in priority compared to other streams for efforts to reduce phosphorus and bacterial contamination. La Crosse County should continue baseflow sampling of Pleasant Valley Creek to determine water quality trends.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
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.
Streams capable of supporting small populations of forage fish or tolerant macro-invertebrates that are tolerant of organic pollution. Typically limited due to naturally poor water quality or habitat deficiencies. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 3 mg/L.
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.
Streams capable of supporting small populations of forage fish or tolerant macro-invertebrates that are tolerant of organic pollution. Typically limited due to naturally poor water quality or habitat deficiencies. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 3 mg/L.