22.51 Miles
0 - 22.51
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2018
Poor
Impairment Unknown
Total Phosphorus
Bayfield
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
This creek was one of the northern Wisconsin sample sites for studying the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in surface waters. The stream flows through a severely eroded channel and experiences many large floods that destroy bank cover. The stream drains a large area of red clay, causing Aflashiness.@ More than 65 percent of the watershed upstream of mile two is agricultural land, with dairy farming the primary land use. This may be an important contributing factor to erosion in the watershed; pollutant sources can be attributed to sediment and organic inputs from poor management practices (Archer). This creek is intermittent during dry periods and thus its fishery value is likely poor. Of 11 samples, one sample exceeded state recreation standards for fecal coliform bacteria.
During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrate were found in South Fish Creek (Epstein 1997). Bank erosion is a significant pollutant source, with livestock, barnyards and cropland posing a threat; significant silting affected habitat quality at the survey site.
Date 1999
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
South Fork Fish Creek (2889900) is proposed for the 2016 impaired waters list for phosphorus impairment; total phosphorus sample data exceed 2016 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, available biological data do not indicate impairment (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the "poor" condition category).
Date 2015
Author Aaron Larson
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
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 |
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Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
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| 2889900 | South Fish Creek | 10043950 | South Fish Creek 60m US CTH F | 1/1/2015 | 10/30/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2889900 | South Fish Creek | 10044095 | South Fish Creek 80m US STH 63 | 1/1/2015 | 9/10/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2889900 | South Fish Creek | 043056 | South Fish Creek at Colby Road | 6/22/1979 | 7/23/2018 | Map | Data |
| 2889900 | South Fish Creek | 10043949 | South Fish Creek 60m US CTH E | 1/1/2015 | 10/30/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2889900 | South Fish Creek | 10038083 | South Fish Creek 130 m DS Benoit Rd. | 8/6/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2889900 | South Fish Creek | 043095 | South Fish Creek - Hwy 137 | 1/25/1994 | 11/3/2015 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
South Fish Creek is located in the Fish Creek watershed which is 156.55 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (60.80%), grassland (19.40%) and a mix of wetland (9.10%) and other uses (10.70%). This watershed has 292.51 stream miles, 3,880.64 lake acres and 4,418.55 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium 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.
South Fish 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.