Turton Creek (American Valley Creek), Middle Trempealeau River Watershed (BT02)
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Turton Creek (American Valley Creek), Middle Trempealeau River Watershed (BT02)
Turton Creek (American Valley Creek) (1777100)
2.87 Miles
0 - 2.87
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-Cold Mainstem
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
High Phosphorus Levels
Total Phosphorus
 
Trempealeau
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.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.
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

Turton Creek is a 3.6-mile-long tributary to the Trempealeau River. The stream is severely degraded by animal waste, livestock pasturing on the streambanks, cropland erosion, channelization and flooding.

Date  1991

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Turton Creek (American Valley Creek), Middle Trempealeau River Watershed (BT02) Fish and Aquatic LifeTurton Creek (American Valley Creek), Middle Trempealeau River Watershed (BT02) RecreationTurton Creek (American Valley Creek), Middle Trempealeau River Watershed (BT02) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

Turton Creek, from its mouth with Trempealeau River to Mill Road/HWY 95 (miles 0 to 2.87) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; available total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceed 2018 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, available biological data do not indicate impairment (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the "poor" condition category).

Turton Creek, from Mill Road to Thompson Valley Road (miles 2.87 to 3.6), was evaluated for phosphorus and biology every two years between 2012 and 2016. Phosphorus levels were found to be too high and this segment was added to the impaired waters list. Biology, assessed again in the 2020 and 2022 cycles, found fish communities in good health.

Turton Creek, from Thompson Valley Road to Unnamed Trib (WBIC 1778300) (miles 3.6 to 8.15), was evaluated for fish community health in 2018, 2020, and 2022; fish were in good health. This stream segment is on the Healthy Waters List.

Turton Creek, from Unnamed Trib (WBIC 1778300) to its headwaters (miles 8.15 to 10.19), was evaluated every two years from 2018 to 2022; fish data indicated a healthy system. This stream segment is on the Healthy Waters List.

Date  2022

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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
Torton Creek American Valley Creek Checklist (1777100)
Torton Creek American Valley Creek (1777100) Fish Survey
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
Changes to the Draft 2014 Total Phosphorus/Biology Assessments
Rivers TP Summary 2012

Recommendations

Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Modeled NC is incorrect, verified as coldwater in 2013 by Mark Hazuga. Other surveys indicate natural community is coldwater, but numbers are very low. Needs follow up monitoring.

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
CITY OF ARCADIA: TID4 Stormwater Detention Pond2002
Fish Propagation Actions2001

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
1777100Turton Creek10030618Turton Creek at Oak Street10/13/20091/1/2015MapData
1777100Turton Creek10057000HWY 95/Mill Road MapData
1777100Turton Creek10021140Turton Creek Railroad Crossing Behind Feed Mill1/1/20151/1/2015MapData
1777100Turton Creek10040690Turton Creek US STH 937/3/20131/1/2015MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Turton Creek is located in the Middle Trempealeau River watershed which is 205.47 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (38.50%), agricultural (31%) and a mix of grassland (21.40%) and other uses (9.00%). This watershed has 489.89 stream miles, 396.56 lake acres and 5,115.26 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Available for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available 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

Turton Creek (American Valley Creek) is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem 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 (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.