Water Detail - Elk Creek, Lower Buffalo River Watershed (BT07)

Elk Creek, Lower Buffalo River Watershed (BT07)

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Elk Creek (1817000)

Size

13.19 Miles

Segment

3.31 - 16.50

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, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater

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.

2015

General Condition

Good

County

Buffalo, Trempealeau

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.

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.

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.

Default FAL

Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

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

Elk Creek is a 16.5-mile-long tributary to Buffalo River. Hadley and Pratt Creeks contribute their waters to Elk Creek. The town of Gilmanton operates a dam on Elk Creek. The stream has been classified as a Class III trout stream from 3.31 miles upstream from its outh to its headwaters.

Date 2011

Author Aquatic Biologist

Elk Creek, Lower Buffalo River Watershed (BT07) Fish and Aquatic Life

Elk Creek, Lower Buffalo River Watershed (BT07) Recreation

Elk Creek, Lower Buffalo River Watershed (BT07) Fish Consumption

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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

Trout Classification Elk Creek (1817000)

Trout Classification Elk Creek (1817000) Survey

Buffalo County Surface Water Resources 1976

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
Fish Propagation Actions	2001

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10038923	Elk Creek - CTH BB downstream Fish Station	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10038927	Elk Creek - Hovey Valley Rd. upstream Fish Station	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10038924	Elk Creek - County Highway H upstream Fish Station	4/20/2012	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10053191	Rognholt Valley Road Crossing			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10008593	Norby Property Cty Z To H			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10008582	Elk Creek at Klevegard (Norden Ridge)			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10008643	Independance Rd Xing West Of Cth Bb			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10033945	Elk Creek DS of Norden Ridge Road	8/10/2011	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10038922	Elk Creek - STH 88 downstream Fish Station	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10008584	Hovey Valley Rd			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10014965	Elk Creek 3 - Bennett Valley 3			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10053189	Farm Road Crossing US of Gilmanton Town Line			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10008583	Elk Creek - Cty Bb Rd. Xing			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10038928	Elk Creek - Norden Ridge Rd. upstream Fish Station	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10015321	Elk Creek - Hwy 88 Bridge Crossing By Gilmanton Pond			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10038926	Elk Creek - CTH Z downstream Fish Station	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10008622	Just South Of Cth Z 13sw/Nw			Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10038925	Elk Creek - CTH H downstream Fish Station	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
1817000	Elk Creek	10053188	Confluence with Turner Creek			Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Elk Creek is located in the Lower Buffalo River watershed which is 275.43 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.70%), agricultural (30.90%) and a mix of grassland (16.60%) and other uses (10.80%). This watershed has 637.77 stream miles, 890.60 lake acres and 9,906.82 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

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

Elk Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold 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 (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.

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.

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