5.97 Miles
0.78 - 6.75
Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Headwater, Coldwater
2004
Good
Clark
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Arnold Creek flows entirely through Clark County Forest and Recreation lands and into Lake Arbutus. The lower half mile of the creek is influenced by the lake and contains sport fish (Talley). The fishery and in-stream habitat of the remainder of this stream is unknown. Poor forestry harvesting practices within the Arnold Creek drainage area have the potential to degrade this creek. Pollution prevention activities related to forestry management detailed in the field manual for forestry best management practices (WDNR, 1995) should be followed when cutting is permitted in the Arnold Creek watershed.
From: Koperksi, Cindy. 1999. Black River Water Quality Management Plan (draft). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
Author Cynthia Koperski
Historical Description
Arnold Creek T23N, R3W, S34, Surface Acres = 11.2, Miles = 5.8, Gradient = 18.2 feet per mile.
Arnold Creek is a medium brown colored and very soft water stream that flows southward into Arbutus Lake. More than one-half of the creek passes through wetlands and the remainder flows through wooded land. Approximately 99 percent of its watershed consists of wooded or wild land. It provides habitat for furbearers, including beaver, and nesting ducks. Forage fishes and panfish inhabit the stream and northern pike may be found there seasonally. The entire stream passes through county forest cropland and there are two road crossings.
From: Klick, Thomas A. and C.W. Threinen, 1965. Surface Water Resources of Clark County: Lake and Stream Classification Project. Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison, WI.
Date 1965
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 |
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| 1727800 | Arnold Creek | 103133 | Arnold Creek - Sth 96 (Ref Site) | 10/21/1994 | 10/12/2004 | Map | Data |
| 1727800 | Arnold Creek | 10011742 | Arnold Creek Hwy 95 Station 1 | | | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Arnold Creek is located in the Fivemile and Wedges Creeks watershed which is 143.17 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (71.70%), wetland (10.70%) and a mix of agricultural (10.70%) and other uses (6.80%). This watershed has 243.78 stream miles, 266.09 lake acres and 10,418.50 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Low 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.
Arnold Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm 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 (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are 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.