Grandma Creek, Pigeon River Watershed (SH06)
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Grandma Creek, Pigeon River Watershed (SH06)
Grandma Creek (62400)
4.82 Miles
0 - 4.82
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.
Macroinvertebrate, 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.
2015
Poor
 
This river is impaired
Low DO, Degraded Habitat
Total Phosphorus, Sediment/Total Suspended Solids
 
Sheboygan
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.
No
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.
Yes

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.
Restricted Aquatic Life
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
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.
WWFF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent forage fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.
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.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

The watershed for Grandma Creek has a mix of agricultural and residential land use. The headwaters have active farming activity, however a significant portion of the watershed is being developed as residential subdivisions. Storm water runoff and associated nonpoint source pollutants are the primary source of impairments to the stream. Portions of the stream have been channelized in the past as well.

Date  2008

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

GRANDMA CREEK, SHEBOYGAN COUNTY - T15N R23E Sec. 18, Stream Length = 4.5 miles.
Grandma Creek originates in a large wooded complex in the Town of Sheboygan Falls. The creek flows south and east to its confluence with the Pigeon River in the Town of Sheboygan near CTH Y. Landuse is primarily agricultural with increasing residential development in the lower reaches. The existing biological use for the stream is limited forage fish community, but the stream shows evidence of providing important spawning habitat for northern pike in the wetland headwater reaches. Consequently the stream is classified as a warmwater sport fish community stream (Aartila 1997). A stream survey conducted during 1997 collected northern pike.

The macroinvertebrate community had Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) ratings of poor indicating very substantial sources of organic pollution (Aartila 1997). Adequate stream-bank buffers are scarce for most of the stream length. Limiting factors for the stream are sedimentation, stream bank erosion, urban runoff, barnyard runoff, cropland runoff, wetland drainage, channelization, low dissolved oxygen, excessive nutrients, and flashy flows (Aartila 1997).

From: Galarneau, Steve and Masterson, John. 1999. Water Resources of the Sheboygan River Basin. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI

Date  1999

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Grandma Creek, Pigeon River Watershed (SH06) Fish and Aquatic LifeGrandma Creek, Pigeon River Watershed (SH06) RecreationGrandma Creek, Pigeon River Watershed (SH06) 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

Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List

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

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
62400Unnamed10016368Grandma Creek - Downstream Of Woodlawn Rd4/25/19964/25/1996MapData
62400Unnamed10022197Unnamed Tributary To Pigeon River5/5/20081/1/2015MapData
62400Unnamed603483Grandma Creek - Hwy Y5/12/199310/23/2013MapData
62400Unnamed603484Grandma Creek - Rangeline Road4/25/20054/25/2005MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Unnamed is located in the Pigeon River watershed which is 78.87 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (57.30%), grassland (18.60%) and a mix of forest (10.20%) and other uses (13.90%). This watershed has 110.34 stream miles, 769.54 lake acres and 3,149.60 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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

Grandma Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, 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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