5.81 Miles
0 - 5.81
Cool-Warm Mainstem
2015
Poor
Degraded Biological Community
Elevated Water Temperature
Jackson, Monroe
Yes
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Clear Creek is a tributary to the Wisconsin River. The creek is considered a Class III trout stream for about two and a half miles although the lower reaches have been known to support some smaller sport fish from the Wisconsin River. There is limited information available for this stream.
Date 2001
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Clear Creek, also known as South Branch Robinson Creek, is impounded by cranberry operations. Above the impoundments, the stream lies within the boundaries of Ft. McCoy and is a Class I trout stream. This trout fishery has high potential for improvement following elimination of the warm water discharge from cranberry operations (Talley).
From: Koperksi, Cindy. 1999. Black River Water Quality Management Plan (draft). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
Author Cynthia Koperski
Impaired Waters
The impaired waters listing is for entire stream (3.7 miles) with the existing use is WWFF, codified use is Cold III. Potential use is Cold III. Cause of impairment are temperature, sediment from NPS (streambank erosion), hydrologic modification (upstream cranberry impoundment). Description of monitoring conducted (including dates, results, quality of data and reports): Fish surveys conducted in 2002 found only warmwater forage species and no trout. Calculated coldwater and warmwater IBI scores were very poor. Continuous water level monitoring below a cranberry marsh impoundment in 2003 found extreme stream flow fluctuations caused by the marsh discharge. Clear Creek has little potential as a trout stream as long as the cranberry marsh impoundment is located upstream. This stream was added to 303d list in 2003. Location of supporting data (electronic and hard copy files): WDNR offices at Black River Falls and Eau Claire. Fish survey available on FH database. Date Reviewed: 12/29/03
Date 2003
Author Aquatic Biologist
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 |
|---|
| 1697800 | Clear Creek | 10013992 | Clear Creek(S. Branch Robinson)Station 3-1983-Ne 1/4 Ne 1/4 S3-Starts At Apollo Rd. Bridge Crossing. | 10/28/1994 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1697800 | Clear Creek | 10015237 | Clear Creek; Cth O - Station 2 | | | Map | Data |
| 1697800 | Clear Creek | 10020481 | Clear Creek-15 Meter Downstream From Habelman'S Reservoir | 10/20/2006 | 10/20/2006 | Map | Data |
| 1697800 | Clear Creek | 10020613 | Clear Creek at Cty Hwy O | 4/27/2007 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1697800 | Clear Creek | 10015238 | Clear Creek Station 1 | | | Map | Data |
| 1697800 | Clear Creek | 10054836 | Logging Road Access Sec 33 | | | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Clear Creek is located in the Trout Run and Robinson Creeks watershed which is 216.93 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (72.30%), agricultural (11%) and a mix of wetland (6.70%) and other uses (10.00%). This watershed has 326.05 stream miles, 791.85 lake acres and 17,562.31 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and Low for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Low. 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.
Clear Creek is considered a Cool-Warm Mainstem 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.
From the mouth to the junction with Ranch Creek (class 3); from the west line of S7 T19N R2W up to the headwaters (class 1)
Date 1980
Author Aquatic Biologist