Upper Steve Creek Flowage, Middle Jump River Watershed (UC03)
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Upper Steve Creek Flowage (2191700)
140 Acres
Natural Community
Reservoir
Year Last Monitored
2014
Excellent
 
Taylor
Trout Water 
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
No
Impaired Water 
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
Reservoir
Attainable Use
Default FAL
Designated Use
Default FAL

Overview

Upper Steve Creek Flowage, in the Middle Jump River Watershed, is a 137.80 acre lake that falls in Taylor County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Source: 1970, Surface Water Resources of Taylor County Steve Creek Flowage, T33N, R2W, Section 3

A hard water, drainage impoundment located on Steve Creek. The water control structure consists of a 15-foot high dike with outlet waters passing over drop logs through an eight-foot tube, or drop outlet culvert. Winterkills and fluctuating water levels occur. The impoundment was constructed and is managed for waterfowl and furbearers. Pumpkinseeds, black bullheads, white suckers, and minnows are the only fish present. The shoreline vegetation is 85 percent upland hardwood and 15 percent tag alder wetland. The littoral bottom material is mostly muck and supports an abundance of aquatic vegetation. Muskrat and beaver use is heavy. Mallards, black ducks, blue-winged teal, wood ducks and hooded merganser use the lakeshore for nesting. During the spring and fall migration the flowage is used by moderate numbers of puddle and diving ducks. The entire impoundment lies within the boundary of the Chequamegon National Forest. Public access with parking is available. There are no private developments along the shoreline.

Surface Acres = 140, Maximum Depth = 8 feet, M.P.A. = 69 ppm

Date  1970

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

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