Kriwanek Creek, West Twin River Watershed (TK01)
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Kriwanek Creek, West Twin River Watershed (TK01)
Kriwanek Creek (88000)
0.75 Miles
0 - 0.75
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.
Cool-Warm Headwater
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.
2023
Good
 
Manitowoc
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.
Yes
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.
No

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.
Supported Aquatic Life
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
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.
Cold (Class II Trout)
Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L through natural reproduction and selective propagation. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.
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.
Cold
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Overview

Kriwanek Creek is a small tributary to the West Twin River that has a moderate gradient (27.8 feet per mile), gravel and rubble substrate, and good flow in the lower reach due to numerous springs and small tributaries. The lower 0.6 mile of stream is classified as Class II brown trout water. However, the stream is not stocked due to lack of public access. This reach is only partially meeting its potential use due to streambank pasturing. The classification above this reach is as a forage fishery for nearly one mile, and then as limited aquatic life. Fisheries staff noted that the Maribel Sewage Treatment Plant discharges to a tributary of Kriwanek Creek and that chloride concentrations could be limiting ecological health.

Date  2001

Author  Michael Toneys

Historical Description

Stream habitat evaluators ranked habitat in Kriwanek Creek, as good but some erosion and soft deposition areas were noted (Bougie and Cleereman 1996). Invertebrate analysis (HBI scores) indicted that the stream had excellent water quality. Fish surveys in the 1950’s (Hacker 1956), 1960’s (Hacker 1967) and 1970’s (Schultz 1972) indicated that brown trout, sculpin, mud minnows, longnose dace, southern redbelly dace, stone rollers and white sucker reside in the creek. More recent fish surveys in 2002 and 2008 had similar results to what was noted in earlier surveys, with brown trout, sculpin and dace dominating the catch.

Date  2011

Author  Mary Gansberg

Kriwanek Creek, West Twin River Watershed (TK01) Fish and Aquatic LifeKriwanek Creek, West Twin River Watershed (TK01) RecreationKriwanek Creek, West Twin River Watershed (TK01) 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

Site Visit-Unnamed Tributary to Kriwanek Creek (Maribel WWTF)
Kriwanek Creek, Kriwanek Creek - Kriwanik Creek at Hidden Valley Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
KRIWANIKS CREEK, TRIBUTARY, MANITOWOC COUNTY, VILLAGE OF KELLNERSVILLE WWTP USE DESIGNATION
Maribel discharge & classification of an Unnamed Tributary to the West Twin River

Recommendations

Monitor for Use Designation
Assess condition of Kriwanek Creek to confirm natural community and water condition status. Confirm aquatic life use designation (LFF Survey from 1975).

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
Fish Propagation Actions2001

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
88000Kriwanek Creek363264Kriwanek Creek - Hidden Valley Rd3/30/199411/3/1994MapData
88000Kriwanek Creek10029268Kriwanek Creek at Hidden Valley Rd 1/1/20151/1/2015MapData
88000Kriwanek Creek10009818Kriwanek Creek - Kriwanik Creek at Hidden Valley Rd10/17/200210/25/2023MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Kriwanek Creek is located in the West Twin River watershed which is 180.11 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (54.30%), grassland (21.50%) and a mix of wetland (10.60%) and other uses (13.80%). This watershed has 360.91 stream miles, 1,898.59 lake acres and 10,189.53 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Medium for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. 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

Kriwanek Creek is considered a Cool-Warm Headwater 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.

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