7.74 Miles
0 - 7.74
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Coldwater, Cool-Warm Headwater
2015
Good
Rusk
No
Yes
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
This stream has documented problems relating to cattle operations, including bank
erosion, habitat destruction, and nutrient inputs.
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
Recommendations
Nine Key Element Plan
Soft Maple and Hay Creek PWS Plan - Nine Key Element Plan - The Soft Maple and Hay Creek Priority Watershed Project plan assesses the nonpoint sources of pollution in the Soft Maple and Hay Creek Watershed and guides the implementation of nonpoint source control measures. These control measures are needed to meet specific water resource objectives for the Soft Maple and Hay Creek and its tributaries. The purpose of this project is to reduce the amount of pollutants originating from nonpoint sources that reach surface water and groundwater within the Soft Maple and Hay Creek Priority Watershed Project area.
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 |
|---|
| 2356600 | Soft Maple Creek | 10016169 | Soft Maple Creek - Soft Maple Creek Lower SiteAbout 1/2 Mile Below Hwy 40 | 5/13/1994 | 5/13/1994 | Map | Data |
| 2356600 | Soft Maple Creek | 10013011 | Soft Maple Creek--1200 Feet Downstream Of Snowmobile Bridge With Access From Merdyk Lane | | | Map | Data |
| 2356600 | Soft Maple Creek | 10050935 | Soft Maple Creek upstream of Bog Lake outlet | | | Map | Data |
| 2356600 | Soft Maple Creek | 10043937 | Big Soft Maple Creek 35m US Amacoy Lake Rd | 1/1/2015 | 10/21/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2356600 | Soft Maple Creek | 553105 | Soft Maple Creek - Low Site at Hwy 40 | 4/26/1994 | 11/21/1994 | Map | Data |
| 2356600 | Soft Maple Creek | 553162 | Soft Maple Creek - Near Bruce WI | 7/16/2001 | 8/27/2014 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Soft Maple Creek is located in the Soft Maple and Hay Creeks watershed which is 176.75 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (56.70%), wetland (19.20%) and a mix of agricultural (11.40%) and other uses (12.70%). This watershed has 266.14 stream miles, 1,050.89 lake acres and 14,185.57 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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.
Soft Maple Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Coldwater, Cool-Warm Headwater 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 (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.
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.