Fourteenmile Creek, Fourteenmile Creek Watershed (CW07)
Fourteenmile Creek, Fourteenmile Creek Watershed (CW07)
Fourteenmile Creek (1377500)
9.17 Miles
9.54 - 18.71
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, Coldwater
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.
2024
Good
 
Adams, Portage
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.
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.
WWSF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport 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

Fourteenmile Creek is a nineteen-mile warm water game fishery and is a tributary to the Wisconsin River. The stream has been impounded at three locations to form the Tri-Lakes (Arrowhead, Sherwood, and Camelot) region. Intense housing development occurs around each lake. The Tri-Lakes Lake Association is very active in aquatic plant harvesting.

Fishery surveys completed in 1998 found some game fish and several species of forage fish. Limiting factors to in-stream habitat include; streambank erosion, shallow channel depth, sedimentation from surrounding crop fields and the lack of pools, riffles and fish cover. HBI results suggest there is significant organic loading to the stream. Stream flow fluctuations are evident in the stream channel, likely a result of water usage by upstream cranberry operations. There are several cranberry operations that discharge water to the ditches. These discharges could contain sediment and nutrients that may be impacting the stream.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Fourteenmile Creek, T20N, R5E, Section 10 Surface Acres = 33.9, Miles = 10.

This light brown, hard water stream has a sand bottom and flows in a westerly direction into Petenwell Lake. The fishery consists primarily of northern pike and forage species. Relatively few largemouth bass are present in the stream immediately above Deer Lodge Lake, which is an impoundment on the Creek. Beaver are present. Wood duck and mallard broods may be seen during the summer. Access is possible from Petenwell Lake and Deer Lodge Lake; small craft may be navigated; and there are six road crossings.

From: Klick, Thomas A. and C.W. Threinen. 1966. Surface Water Resources of Adams County: Lake and Stream Classification Project. Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison, WI.

Date  1966

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Fourteenmile Creek, Fourteenmile Creek Watershed (CW07) Fish and Aquatic LifeFourteenmile Creek, Fourteenmile Creek Watershed (CW07) RecreationFourteenmile Creek, Fourteenmile Creek Watershed (CW07) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Fourteenmile Creek was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus 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

Recommendations

Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
Nutrient Strategy Priority
Adams County proposes to develop nutrient management plans for 4,470 acres of crop land within the Tri-Lakes Watershed. Major project elements to include: a) outreach to landowners, b) development of nutrient management plans, c) weekly water sampling, d) water quality analysis, and e) cost share payments.
Shoreland Ordinance
Adams County proposes to amend or create a shoreland zoning ordinance that complies with the requirements of NR 115, Wisconsin Administrative Code (as revised effective February 1, 2010) and retain existing regulations that exceed the water resource protections of NR 115 or are specific or unique to local needs.
Water Quality Modeling
Adams County proposes to provide up to 75% of the cost of shoreland restoration practices to lake front property owners on the Petenwell Flowage. Grant funds will be distributed to fund removal of sea walls, minor bank re-shaping, placement of rip-rap, establishment of vegetative buffers and implementation if individual stormwater management plans.

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

Monitoring Projects

Watershed Characteristics

Fourteenmile Creek is located in the Fourteenmile Creek watershed which is 184.15 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (48.20%), agricultural (24.20%) and a mix of open (15%) and other uses (12.70%). This watershed has stream miles, lake acres and 11,432.03 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium 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

Fourteenmile Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, 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 (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.

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