7.77 Miles
0 - 7.77
Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2018
Poor
Degraded Biological Community
Total Phosphorus
Ashland
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
This warm water creek with a silt and sand bottom originates in open land near the Ashland airport that was once used for agriculture, then flows northeast through the city of Ashland into Lake Superior. The stream's upper watershed is seeing increasing residential development, which has increased stream runoff. The watershed includes a significant portion of the city of Ashland industrial and residential areas, and empties into Lake Superior in the harbor area. The stream is generally quite turbid, especially after heavy rainfall. This creek was one of the northern Wisconsin sample sites for studying the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in surface waters. Study data showed that while the stream generally had dissolved oxygen levels above 5 parts per million (ppm) and thus sufficient for the growth and activity of fish, a sample taken at the end of August yielded dissolved oxygen levels of 3.3 ppm and one in October recorded 4.2 ppm. Levels below 3 ppm cause stress to most aquatic organisms. Following a period of rainfall, samples in the creek showed significantly higher levels of fecal coliform bacteria
During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrates were found and overall taxa richness was low (0-4 species) (Epstein 1997). Urban pollutants were deemed a significant contributor to impaired habitat quality at the survey site.
Date 1999
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
The 2018 assessments of Bay City Creek showed continued impairment by phosphorus; new total phosphorus sample data exceeded the 2018 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use and biological impairment was observed (i.e. at least one macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the poor condition category). Based on the most updated information, no change in the existing impaired waters listing was needed.
Date 2017
Author Ashley Beranek
Impaired Waters
Bay City Creek (2891100) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data exceed 2016 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use and biological impairment was observed (i.e. at least one macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the poor condition category). This water is considered impaired.
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
Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 2891100 | Bay City Creek | 10037882 | Bay City Creek 110 m DS Main St | 7/19/2012 | 10/27/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2891100 | Bay City Creek | 023066 | Bay City Creek - 9th Ave Ashland | 2/3/1994 | 10/17/1994 | Map | Data |
| 2891100 | Bay City Creek | 10040468 | Bay City Creek at waterfront trail bridge | 5/30/2007 | 9/2/2014 | Map | Data |
| 2891100 | Bay City Creek | 10007646 | Bay City Creek at Main St | 6/12/1997 | 6/12/1997 | Map | Data |
| 2891100 | Bay City Creek | 10040467 | Bay City Creek 500ft DS STH 13 | 6/27/2007 | 7/30/2007 | Map | Data |
| 2891100 | Bay City Creek | 10012161 | Bay City Creek - Upstream Of Hwy 13 Station 1 | 10/24/2003 | 7/23/2018 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Bay City 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.
Bay City Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, 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) 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.