Elk Creek , Muddy and Elk Creeks Watershed (LC13)
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Elk Creek , Muddy and Elk Creeks Watershed (LC13)
Elk Creek (2120800)
0.33 Miles
8.63 - 8.96
Natural Community
Cool-Cold Mainstem
Year Last Monitored
2022
Unknown
 
Eau Claire
Trout Water 
Yes
Outstanding or Exceptional 
No
Impaired Water 
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
Supported Aquatic Life
Attainable Use
Cold (Class II Trout)
Designated Use
Cold

Overview

Elk Creek is a Class I trout stream for nearly 14 miles above Elk Creek Lake and Class 11 for 3.6
miles below the lake. The Class I portion of Elk Creek is listed as an outstanding resource water
(ORW) in NR 102, Water Quality Standards for Wisconsin Surface Waters. The state's
antidegradation policy prohibits new point source discharges to ORWs unless the effluent water
quality is better than background water quality found in the stream.
In Elk Creek, polluted runoff contributes to the degradation of critical trout habitat. Significant
streambank erosion was identified in 1978 above the lake at 19 sites in Dunn County and 35 sites in
Chlppewa County. About 80 percent of the sites in Dunn County were stabilized by a Trout
Unlimited project. Several barnyards located on the stream degrade water quality and fishery
habitat. Cropping close to the streambank is also a problem. Elk Creek has the potential to
improve as an excellent trout fishery if polluted runoff is controlled. As with Big Elk Creek, the
tributaries to Elk Creek contribute sediment, which could be controlled with best management
practices (Dwoznik, Holzer) .
The Chippewa County portion of Elk Creek is designated as a State Fishery Area. WDNR has
acquired strearnbank easements and fenced the stream to protect the bank from erosion (Holzer).
Control of sources of polluted runoff, such as cropping close to streams, would benefit the majority
of Elk Creek's reaches.

Date  1996

Author   Aquatic Biologist

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
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.
Streams 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 through natural reproduction and selective propagation. 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.
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.
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.