Crawford Creek, St. Louis and Lower Nemadji River Watershed (LS01)
Crawford Creek, St. Louis and Lower Nemadji River Watershed (LS01)
Crawford Creek (2835500)
9.12 Miles
0 - 9.12
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.
Macroinvertebrate, 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.
2016
Poor
 
This river is impaired
Chronic Aquatic Toxicity
PAHs, Creosote
 
Douglas
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.
No
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.
No
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.
Yes

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.
Restricted Aquatic Life
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
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.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

Crawford Creek is a warmwater tributary to the Nemadji River, located just south of Superior, Wisconsin. It is primarily a runoff stream, with a turbid water supply due to mucky clay substrates and highly eroded clay banks. It is flashy in nature, characterized with low flows (it can be intermittent or dry in its upper portions) and having very high flows during storm or runoff events. Evidence of high flow or flooding events is common throughout, with banks five to six feet high and eroding into the creek, and log or brush jams common (Johnson, 1964 - fisheries file).

In 1998, Crawford Creek was listed on the 303d impaired waters list for chronic aquatic toxicity, with the pollutant changed to creosote under 2006 303D list. PAH's are also listed as a pollutant, with sources being contaminated sediment and also industrial point source discharge from Koppers Industries, a wood treatment facility near Superior.

In 2009, Crawford Creek was included in special project monitoring for evaluation of the Nemadji River and selected tributaries for potential impairment of habitat or turbidity/sedimentation. Water chemistry parameters were sampled on six occasions during 2009 between June and November. Preliminary results for turbidity, total suspended solids, and transparency tube readings were high for Crawford Creek, with an average of 62.6 NTU for turbidity; results suggest Crawford is possibly impaired for turbidity as well habitat. Johnson (1964) wrote that cattle graze along the banks and frequently in the stream also in portions of the creek. Further monitoring/evaluation in regards to other impairments is recommended when the future TMDL work is done on Crawford Creek.

The current use condition of Crawford Creek is probably partially supporting that of a warmwater forage fishery. Baseline monitoring was conducted in 2006 at Hammond and Kronberg Road. Results from "Intermittent fish IBI's" were "fair" (Hammond-40) and "poor" (Kronberg-10). However, the fish IBI conducted at Hammond Avenue in 2006 noted "very inefficient shocking". Further IBI evaluations for fish and invertebrates are recommended to confirm the condition and the appropriate attainable use category for Crawford Creek. This work could possibly wait until BMPs are implemented and then re-evaluate. One item of note is that the species list from a 1999 consultant study (in fisheries file) shows more species (14) than 2006 data (6), but this could have been dependent on where sampling occurred.

Date  2010

Author  Cordell Manz

Historical Description

A 1986 sample taken from sediments in this creek revealed it contained unidentified polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A possible cause of contamination was the wastewater outfall from Koppers Industries, a wood treatment facility near Superior. Koppers had been working with U.S. EPA and WDNR to license the surface impoundments and a barrel storage area as a hazardous waste treatment and storage facility. In 1988, Koppers proposed closing the lagoons and agreed to abandon a spray irrigation field. Sludges and soils were excavated from the lagoons, but not all contamination could be removed so the site was capped with a composite cap.

In 1988, sediment sampling indicated PAH contamination. The lagoon was capped and abandoned in 1989. Koppers installed a wastewater system that processed all wastewater through a dissolved air flotation unit and then a biotrol (for bacteria decomposition) to destroy any remaining cresol and organic pollutants. In 1992, WDNR's hazardous waste section collected samples from the creek that showed contamination consistent with cresol. Koppers proposed sampling its outfalls and Crawford Creek, but this was postponed for two summers until an agreement could be reached with U.S. EPA on a dioxins analysis quality assurance plan. WDNR petitioned U.S. EPA for lead status in the corrective action as WDNR has done at other Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sites in the state. WDNR will likely take over the lead on this project when the project moves from the investigative phase to remediation. The department completed review of the preliminary sediment assessment report submitted and has requested additional assessment (Liebenstein).

Date  

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Crawford Creek, St. Louis and Lower Nemadji River Watershed (LS01) Fish and Aquatic LifeCrawford Creek, St. Louis and Lower Nemadji River Watershed (LS01) RecreationCrawford Creek, St. Louis and Lower Nemadji River Watershed (LS01) 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

Recommendations

TMDL Monitoring
A future TMDL study on Crawford Creek is to occur with monitoring in regards to current listings. In addition, evaluating Crawford Creek for other potential impairment (habitat, turbidity/sediment, and flow) is recommended – possibly at the time of the TMDL study. Further IBI evaluations of fish and invertebrate communities are recommended to confirm the present condition and most appropriate attainable use category for Crawford Creek. This work could possibly wait until BMPs are implemented and then re-evaluate. See also the Lake Superior Basin plan in regards to recommendations for Kopper’s. Natural community (baseline) monitoring is planned for one site in 2010.
Sediment Remediation
Remediate contaminated sediment hotspots. The state should continue negotiating with applicable responsible parties for Howards Bay and Koppers, a former wood treating facility that drains into a tributary of Crawford Creek, and, where practical, pursue opportunities for restoration of these areas. Koppers Company should complete its investigation of possible dioxin contamination in soils on site (Type C).

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

Watershed Characteristics

Crawford Creek is located in the St. Louis and Lower Nemadji River watershed which is 159.67 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily wetland (44.10%), forest (32.50%) and a mix of grassland (11.10%) and other uses (12.40%). This watershed has 432.66 stream miles, 8,490.75 lake acres and 26,945.85 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available 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.

Natural Community

Crawford Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, 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.

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