Big Creek, Big and Douglas Creeks Watershed (BR03)
Big Creek, Big and Douglas Creeks Watershed (BR03)
Big Creek (1692900)
0.11 Miles
6.66 - 6.77
Natural Community
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.
Cool-Cold Mainstem
Year Last Monitored
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.
Unknown
 
Monroe
Trout Water 
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.
Yes
Outstanding or Exceptional 
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.
No
Impaired Water 
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.
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
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.
Supported Aquatic Life
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
Attainable Use
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.
Cold (Class I Trout)
Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species through natural reproduction. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.
Designated Use
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.
Cold
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Overview

Big Creek flows into the Black River from the southeast. This Class II trout stream is in large part protected by state ownership as the Big Creek and Evans Pond State Fishery Areas. Despite extensive public ownership, habitat in the stream is still lacking. Active streambank erosion is rare in the fishery areas along Big Creek, however several tributary streams contribute sand to Big Creek. As a result, deep holes and riffle areas exist only where in-stream flow is redirected and stream bottom scour results.

The sandy soils of this watershed are easily disturbed and do not recover quickly. Consequently, erosion near permanent or intermittent waterbodies is difficult to prevent. Extending streambank protection areas, installing scour structures, and preventing streambank erosion along Big Creek and its tributaries would improve the available habitat and create new habitat (Wright, Koperski).

From: Koperksi, Cindy. 1999. Black River Water Quality Management Plan (draft). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1999

Author  Cynthia Koperski

Big Creek, Big and Douglas Creeks Watershed (BR03) Fish and Aquatic LifeBig Creek, Big and Douglas Creeks Watershed (BR03) RecreationBig Creek, Big and Douglas Creeks Watershed (BR03) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Big Creek is a one and a half-mile cool-cold mainstem stream and is listed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus levels exceeding the statewide criteria. Big Creek was surveyed at Acorn Ave. The fish IBI rating was excellent and the community was dominated by brook trout, white suckers, western blacknose dace, and burbot.



The qualitative habitat score for this site was 53, which is good. The stream was wide and relatively deep and the riparian buffer was protected. Factors limiting habitat include fine sediment and a lack of fish cover. Although find sediment deposition was an issue to habitat, this stream most likely has a naturally sandy bottom.



The HBI and MIBI ratings were excellent and there is no apparent organic pollution at this stream site. Total phosphorus monitoring indicates concentrations exceed the statewide criteria with a median concentration of 0.2165 mg/L. This high phosphorus concentration is consistent with the impaired waters listing for TP.

Date  2017

Author  Camille Bruhn

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 Water Quality or Sediment
Monitor Aquatic Biology
Engage Volunteers in Monitoring/Restoration
Continue monitoring water quality parameters or coordinate for volunteers to monitor streams that may have high phosphorus levels that exceed statewide criteria.
Best Management Practices, Implement
Several stream sites throughout the Big-Douglas watershed and Rathbone-Soper subwatershed have banks that are highly eroded. Grant programs and funding opportunities to seek BMP support should be pursued as relevant in the future.
Best Management Practices, Implement
In areas with heavy grazing, managed grazing and rotational grazing could be implemented to protect riparian corridors. Other agricultural practices such as buffers, cover crops, no-till farming, and nutrient management plans could help reduce erosion and runoff to streams.
Engage Volunteers in Monitoring/Restoration
Citizen volunteers can also help by monitoring streams for phosphorus concentrations to identify areas that may need more nutrient reduction practices.
Information and Education
DNR should work on outreach efforts with landowners and County conservation staff to increase the size and condition of riparian areas in order to buffer stream systems, create fish habitat, and decrease the amount of fine sediments entering the streams.
Habitat Restoration - Instream
Habitat improvements could also be implemented on streams that have documented steep eroding banks if funding becomes available.

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

Watershed Characteristics

Big Creek is located in the Big and Douglas Creeks watershed which is 210.33 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (58.40%), agricultural (24.20%) and a mix of grassland (8.90%) and other uses (8.50%). This watershed has 375.17 stream miles, 473.57 lake acres and 7,564.97 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and Medium for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Medium. 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.

Natural Community

Big Creek is considered a Cool-Cold 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.

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.

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