10.07 Miles
3.60 - 13.67
Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Headwater, Coldwater
2017
Unknown
Iron
Yes
Yes
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
This stream is considered a brook trout stream for its entire length and its upper reaches above the middle of Section 4, T45N R1E are classified exceptional resource waters. It receives the effluent from the Anderson Sanitary District and Whitecap Mountain ski resort via a wetland draining to the creek, and the town of Knight wastewater treatment plant near Iron Belt discharges to an effluent ditch that reaches Alder Creek via Cemetery Creek (T46N R1E S35 SWSW) in the exceptional resource water reach. A wasteload allocation survey done for the town of Knight in 1980 did not indicate any negative effects on receiving waters. The survey did note that dissolved oxygen levels in Alder Creek were below the standards for a trout stream. A point source evaluation of Cemetery Creek in 1991 suggests the town of Knight discharge likely has no effect on water quality in Alder Creek.
We have no updated information on the Anderson Sanitary District discharge or location, other than a dry run ditch carries effluent to a wetland, the extent of which is variable based on beaver activity. The watershed is used by migratory and nesting waterfowl and a variety of furbearers.
A 1996 survey conducted as part of the coastal wetland evaluation found at the County Highway E crossing moderate richness for taxa (5-24 species) (Epstein 1996). The stream bottom at this point is primarily rock (65 percent) and muck (30 percent). Aquatic plant growth here contributed significantly to water quality conditions.
This stream flows through an area of county forest and private land that may be periodically clearcut.
From: Turville-Heitz, Meg. 1999. Lake Superior Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
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
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 |
|---|
|
|
Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 2908700 | Alder Creek | 10032647 | Alder Creek below Cemetery Creek mouth | | | Map | Data |
| 2908700 | Alder Creek | 10043165 | Alder Creek Upstream/Downstream from Tower Road | | | Map | Data |
| 2908700 | Alder Creek | 10031996 | Alder Creek - below Valley Rd. (Kimball Rd.) | | | Map | Data |
| 2908700 | Alder Creek | 10032646 | Alder Creek above Cemetery Creek mouth | | | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Alder Creek is located in the Potato River watershed which is 139.92 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (79.70%), wetland (16%) and a mix of grassland (2.40%) and other uses (2.00%). This watershed has 306.29 stream miles, 195.98 lake acres and 14,309.56 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.
Alder Creek is considered a 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) 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.