Water Detail - South Branch Oconto River, South Branch Oconto River Watershed (GB06)

South Branch Oconto River, South Branch Oconto River Watershed (GB06)

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South Branch Oconto River (480900)

Size

15.75 Miles

Segment

28.90 - 44.65

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, Cool-Warm 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.

2018

General Condition

Good

County

Langlade, Menominee, Oconto

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.

Yes

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.

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 I Trout)

Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species through natural reproduction. 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.

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

The South Branch Oconto River joins the North Branch Oconto River near Suring to form the Oconto River. The watershed is primarily forested with limited agricultural activity. It has a total river length of 15 miles, with a surface area of 72.7 acres and an average width of 40 feet. The South Branch of the Oconto River Fishery Area was created in 1961 and to date
over 450 acres of land bordering the river has acquired by the Department of Natural Resources. The purpose of the fishery area is to perpetuate the native trout population, provide access for anglers and improve overall trout and wildlife habitat. Over 11 miles of the South Branch of the Oconto river flows through the fishery area.

Date 2013

Author Justine Hasz

South Branch Oconto River, South Branch Oconto River Watershed (GB06) Fish and Aquatic Life

South Branch Oconto River, South Branch Oconto River Watershed (GB06) Recreation

South Branch Oconto River, South Branch Oconto River Watershed (GB06) Fish Consumption

General Condition

The South Branch Oconto River was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new temperature 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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

South Branch Oconto River, South Branch Oconto River - Sauls Spring Road, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

South Branch Oconto River, South Branch Oconto River - 444m Below Sth 64, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Streams/RIvers AIS ED Monitoring Pilot 2015 Oconto County, S. Branch of the Oconto River, 480900, 10016699

Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments

Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment

South Branch Oconto River Fisheries Information Sheet during 2005

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
TROUT UNLIMITED INC: RR - SB Oconto at Saul's Spring Road Aquatic Organism Passage Project	2023
Fish Propagation Actions	2001

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10010012	South Branch Oconto River - Upstream Van Alsteen Rd. -- Station 1	10/20/2000	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	433353	Oconto River South Branch - 1500' Dwn			Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	433351	Oconto River South Branch - 32.2 Meters Upstream From Van Alstine Rd.	10/29/2007	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10015786	South Branch Oconto River - Station 1 - Appx. 600 M Upstreamfrom Van Alsteen Rd. Bridge (In Rifflejust Downstream From Braided Area)	10/6/2003	10/8/2003	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10022919	South Branch Oconto River D1 5 M Upstream	5/1/2007	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	433352	Oconto River South Branch - 100' Up Sauks Spring Rd			Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10052399	SOUTH BRANCH OCONTO RIVER HEINZ SPRINGS OUTLET US			Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10015500	South Branch Oconto River C2	10/4/2006	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10052400	SOUTH BRANCH OCONTO RIVER VAN ALSTINE RD US 1300 FT			Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10015502	South Branch Oconto River D1	10/5/2006	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10015938	South Branch Oconto River - Approx 1000 Feet Upstream From Vanalsteen Road Crossing	10/20/1999	10/20/1999	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10021589	South Branch Oconto River - 306m Below Cth T	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10021592	South Branch Oconto River - 444m Below Sth 64	10/16/2008	10/5/2016	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10010072	South Branch Oconto River 3- Downstream Wichser Lake Rd	10/20/1999	10/8/2003	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10044679	South Branch Oconto River - Sauls Spring Road	1/1/2015	9/27/2018	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10044623	South Branch Oconto River - Old Grave Rd site	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10039459	South Branch Oconto River at Hwy W	8/26/2013	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10010118	South Branch Oconto River - 120 M Upstream From Wichser Lake Road -- Station 4	10/20/1999	10/8/2003	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10010015	South Branch Oconto River - Upstream Hwy. 64 - Station 2	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10015506	South Branch Oconto River D2	10/5/2006	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10015499	South Branch Oconto River C1	10/4/2006	1/1/2015	Map	Data
480900	South Branch Oconto River	10015396	South Branch Oconto River at CTH W			Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

South Branch Oconto River is located in the South Branch Oconto River watershed which is 219.27 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (75.10%), wetland (14.70%) and a mix of agricultural (6.10%) and other uses (4.00%). This watershed has 216.92 stream miles, 2,812.48 lake acres and 20,277.98 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Low for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked for runoff impacts on lakes and Low for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Low. 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

South Branch Oconto River is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Warm 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.

Fish Species

2005The Department of Natural Resources assessed the South Branch Oconto River, Oconto County, on August 23rd and August 24th, 2005, to conduct a comprehensive survey of the brook and brown trout fisheries. The survey was conducted on a 0.38 mile section of the river upstream from the bridge crossing on County Highway W just east of Mountain in the Town of Doty (T.31N. -R.15E. Section26) (Figure 5). A mark-recapture survey was conducted by a stream shocking run to mark trout on August 23, 2005 and a recapture shocking run on August 24, 2005. The population estimate (number per mile) of legal size brook trout (>8 inches) was 55 and legal brown trout (>12 inches) was 111. Brook trout had a catch rate of 444.5 per mile and brown trout had a catch rate of 356 per mile. The overall health of the trout fishery looks good with above average numbers of legal sized brook and brown trout when compared to previous surveys.

Date 2005

Author Justine Hasz

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