Tisch Mills Creek, East Twin River Watershed (TK02)
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Tisch Mills Creek, East Twin River Watershed (TK02)
Tisch Mills Creek (85500)
2.26 Miles
0 - 2.26
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.
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.
2020
Good
 
Kewaunee, 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

Tisch Mills Creek is a low gradient tributary to the East Twin River. It generally has very good water quality and 1.9 miles are Class II brown trout water. The stream is buffered by cedar swamp along much of its headwaters, thus nonpoint sources of water pollution have little impact on the stream. Fisheries managers believe that water quality cannot be significantly increased through nonpoint source management, but habitat improvements may increase fish populations by providing more cover.

Date  2001

Author  Michael Toneys

Tisch Mills Creek, East Twin River Watershed (TK02) Fish and Aquatic LifeTisch Mills Creek, East Twin River Watershed (TK02) RecreationTisch Mills Creek, East Twin River Watershed (TK02) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Tisch Mills Creek (WBIC 85500) from its mouth to "little" Jambo Creek was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus and biological (fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) 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

Tisch Mills Creek, Tisch Mills Creek - Cth AB - County Line Upstream, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
Tisch Mills Creek, Tisch Mills Creek at Collegiate Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
2015 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Tisch Mills Creek at Cty Hwy BB
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
Macroinvertebrate Assessment Package Report TK02 2003 to 2013

Standards Details

Tisch Mills Creek is an 8 mile long creek that is low gradient. The headwaters of the creek are in Kewaunee County where it drains a large amount of wetland. Upper sections of Tisch Mills Creek are classified a warmwater forage fishery because of low flow and poor habitat in these stream sections (WCC 1968). The lower 1 ½ miles of Tisch Mills Creek are classified as Class II brown trout waters because of improved flow and habitat. Recent invertebrate surveys had similar results, with scores of good for habitat and very good for water quality in sections classified as trout waters and fair in other sections of the river (Gansberg 1995).

Date  2012

Author  Steven Hogler

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
85500Tisch Mills Creek10016350Tisch Mills Creek - Cth AB - County Line Upstream3/30/199410/10/2019MapData
85500Tisch Mills Creek10008211Tisch Mills Creek at Cty Hwy BB10/31/19787/20/2020MapData
85500Tisch Mills Creek10028959Tisch Mills Creekat Cth Ab6/25/20081/1/2015MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Tisch Mills Creek is located in the East Twin River watershed which is 183.58 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (57.30%), grassland (16.50%) and a mix of wetland (14.70%) and other uses (11.50%). This watershed has 314.70 stream miles, 12,446.75 lake acres and 14,181.41 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, High 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

Tisch Mills Creek is considered a 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.

Warm Headwaters are small, usually intermittent streams with warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

Fish Species

Electroshocking surveys by Schultz and Wiegert (1964 and 1965) found that stocked trout clipped from previous seasons had survived well and showed good growth rates. Northern pike, white sucker, black side darter, pearl dace, longnose dace, common shiners and sculpin were common with rock bass classified as present. Bank and pool cover, and food abundance were considered good. The bottom type was classified as mostly gravel with some rock and rubble. Silt was a minor component of the bottom. Belonger (1974) noted similar fish species, although the number of northern pike was greatly reduced. However, he did note a shift in bottom type with less gravel observed and more sand, silt and detritus in the make-up of the bottom.

Date  2012

Author  Steven Hogler