14.59 Miles
0 - 14.59
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Headwater, Coldwater
2024
Excellent
Bayfield
Yes
Yes
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
This cold water spring stream originates at the outlet of Diamond Lake, an outstanding resource water, and flows to its confluence with Long Lake Branch in the Bibon Marsh. The stream is considered a Class I trout fishery and has been classified an outstanding resource water. Its principal tributaries are Tader Creek, Eighteenmile Springs and two unnamed feeders, all of which are excellent trout spawning waters. Numerous bank springs feed the stream throughout its middle and upper stretches. This stream, which has a considerable amount of fishing pressure, is considered one of the better trout streams in Bayfield County. The stream flows through predominantly wild forest land in the Chequamegon National Forest, with shrub marsh in its headwaters areas and mixed hardwoods and conifers in the middle sections and open, former pastureland downstream. No farming occurs in the sub-watershed (Archer). The lower portion of the stream was severely damaged in the early 1950s when highway fill washed into the stream. This portion of the stream was restored by blasting a new channel and stabilizing the banks. A 1980 survey indicated the stream would benefit from installation of halved logs and the removal of log jams and debris.
Logging is a potential source of sediment and organic material entering the stream. Pollutant sources are primarily limited to wildlife found in the area. This stream was one of the northern Wisconsin sample sites for studying the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in surface waters. The stream supports muskrat, beaver and migratory waterfowl. Larger game consist of white-tailed deer and a small population of black bear. Estimates place a white-tailed deer population of 37 per square mile in summer and 28 over winter. On five of 11 sampling occasions, Giardia occurred in the stream, but not Cryptosporidium. Sampling indicated low counts of fecal coliform bacteria. The stream demonstrated low levels of suspended solids and little turbidity.
The stream originating is identified in the Lake Superior Coastal Wetland Evaluation (Epstein 1997) as an aquatic priority site. The modest insect fauna contained two rare taxa and was dominated by mayflies and caddisflies.
From: Turville-Heitz, Meg. 1999. Lake Superior Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
Author Aquatic Biologist
General Condition
Eighteen Mile Creek was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) and temperature sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.
Date 2017
Author Ashley Beranek
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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| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10013251 | EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK - 20 m upstream DEER LICK LAKE RD - STATION #5 | 4/28/1993 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10039553 | Eighteen Mile Creek 0.5 mi S of STH 63 | 9/3/2007 | 10/2/2007 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10015993 | Eighteen Mile Creek - DS of culvert 185 | 5/14/1993 | 5/14/1993 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10056001 | EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK - 25M UPSTREAM CONFLUENCE WITH PORCUPINE CREEK - STATION #7 | | | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10007877 | EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK - at SOUTH SWEDEN RD - STATION #4 | 10/19/2000 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10044005 | Eighteenmile Creek at Hwy 63 Bridge | | | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10030781 | Eighteen Mile Creek - 25 m upstream Taylor Lane - Station #1 | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10010683 | Eighteen Mile Creek 1 | | | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 043097 | EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK - 20 m upstream OLD HWY 63 - Station #3 | 1/24/1994 | 10/3/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10013252 | EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK- 45 METERS UPSTREAM PORCUPINE LAKE ROAD- STATION #6 | 5/14/1993 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10007876 | EIGHTEEN MILE CREEK - 43 m upstream NORTH SWEDEN RD - STATION #2 (Trend) | 10/19/2000 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10010682 | Eighteenmile Creek | | | Map | Data |
| 2895900 | Eighteenmile Creek | 10015949 | Eighteen Mile Creek - DS Of X-Country trail---Substrate | 5/3/1994 | 5/3/1994 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Eighteenmile Creek is located in the White River watershed which is 366.15 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (75.10%), wetland (14.60%) and a mix of grassland (4.90%) and other uses (5.30%). This watershed has 472.79 stream miles, 7,218.85 lake acres and 29,057.91 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.
Eighteen Mile Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm 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 (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.
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.