2.83 Miles
17.78 - 20.61
Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Warm Mainstem
2015
Excellent
Ashland
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Butternut Creek flows through Butternut Lake and enters the North Fork of the
Flambeau River. Butternut Lake, a eutrophic lake, is part of the statewide Long-Term
Trend Monitoring program (See Lakes Report). A portion of Butternut Creek upstream
of the lake is listed as Class III trout water in the Wisconsin Trout Stream Book. This
segment is marginal as a trout water (Lealos 1993). The stream where it exits the lake is
listed as Class II trout water.
Data from the 1970s indicate some impact from the village of Butternut Wastewater
Treatment Plant, which discharged to the Creek above Butternut Lake. The treatment
plant has since gone to a groundwater discharge. There are two veneer mills in the
village of Butternut that have had spills which could affect Butternut Creek or the lake.
We have no recent information to characterize the water quality status of Butternut
Creek. Town and country roads, and other nonpoint sources may contribute excess
sediment to the stream.
Date 1996
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
Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 10037559 | BUTTERNUT CREEK - BIRDS EYE VENEER DRAINAGE - FIRST WETLAND POOL IN NORTH CHANNEL | 7/21/2008 | 7/21/2008 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 10037558 | BUTTERNUT CREEK - BIRDS EYE VENEER DRAINAGE - SECOND WETLAND POOL IN NORTH CHANNEL | 7/21/2008 | 7/21/2008 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 10037561 | BUTTERNUT CREEK - BIRDS EYE VENEER DRAINAGE - SOUTH CHANNEL UPPER END | 7/21/2008 | 7/21/2008 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 023010 | Butternut Creek at Town Road Above Butternut Lake | 2/21/1975 | 8/20/1975 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 023007 | Butternut Creek - Above Butternut Stp | 2/21/1975 | 10/29/1975 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 10037563 | BUTTERNUT CREEK - BIRDS EYE VENEER DRAINAGE - SOUTH CHANNEL LOWER END | 7/21/2008 | 7/21/2008 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 023009 | Butternut Creek at Sth 13 | 2/21/1975 | 10/29/1975 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 023004 | Butternut Creek - Cth F Butternut | 2/21/1975 | 10/29/1975 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 10040803 | Butternut Creek 270 m DS Main St | 7/18/2013 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 10037560 | BUTTERNUT CREEK - BIRDS EYE VENEER DRAINAGE - NORTH CHANNEL DOWNSTREAM OF SAND BLANKET | 7/21/2008 | 7/21/2008 | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 10039175 | Butternut Creek at Main St | | | Map | Data |
| 2282300 | Butternut Creek | 023006 | Butternut Creek at Northern Hardwood Bridge At Butternut | 2/21/1975 | 10/29/1975 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Butternut Creek is located in the Butternut Creek watershed which is 77.66 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (58.30%), wetland (29.20%) and a mix of grassland (7.20%) and other uses (5.30%). This watershed has 80.85 stream miles, 1,375.00 lake acres and 13,529.86 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Medium 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.
Butternut Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, 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.