13.12 Miles
0 - 13.12
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem
2022
Poor
Degraded Biological Community
Total Phosphorus
Sauk
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The upper 4 miles of Seeley Creek have been managed as stocked, trout water. Three of these miles are Class I and one mile is a Class II. The upper-most portion, until the mid 1980s, supported a little known, outstanding natural brown trout fishery. At that time the water level dropped drastically. Locals feel this decline is due to heavy blasting in a quarry near Rock Springs. Regardless, the water level decline was associated with a major reduction in this trout fishery.
During the 1990's, wild brown trout adults were transferred into this area and successful natural reproduction is once again occurring. Active farming of much of the upper watershed has disappeared and restricted land use easements (i.e. pasturing, cropping, and logging ) would now be appropriate on the surrounding land to preserve this "little gem." Downstream drift of natural reproduction of the upper area should increase the fishery downstream around Highway W. Farther down, the stream is impounded to create the 49-acre Seeley Lake, a eutrophic, weedy impoundment that supports a warm water sport fishery.
Date 2002
Author Cynthia Koperski
Impaired Waters
Seeley Creek was recently evaluated during the ten-year period of 2009 through 2018 for results that were reported to the USEPA for the 2020 Clean Water Act condition report. The waterbody is considered impaired, or in poor condition for designated uses which include the quality of fish and aquatic life, recreational use, and public health and welfare (fish consumption and related). Pollutants or problems encountered during sampling (impairments) are determined based on water quality standards outlined in Wisconsin 2020 Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (WisCALM). Assessment results show water conditions that are potentially harmful for Aquatic Life use due to values for biological indicators (bug samples) that fall into the range expected for an aquatic community in poor health, therefore this water is listed as impaired. This water is part of the Wisconsin River Basin TMDL, which was approved by the USEPA in 2019.
Seeley Creek (mile 0-13.12): Assessment results during the 2020 listing cycle show bug samples that indicate impairment (i.e. at least one macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity scored in the poor condition category). Available total phosphorus data confirm total phosphorus listing. Based on the most updated information, degraded biological habitat replaced unknown impairment in 2020.
Seeley Creek (mile 13.12-15.90): The most recent assessments show this segment of the creek is in good condition for Fish Consumption and Aquatic Life uses.
Seeley Creek (15.90-21.05): This segment is in good condition for Fish Consumption use and there is not enough information to assess Aquatic Life use.
Date 2019
Author Ashley Beranek
Impaired Waters
Seeley Creek (1275300) from its mouth to Klein Rd. was placed on the impaired waters list in 2014. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, available biological data did not indicate impairment (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the "poor" condition category). Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date 2015
Author Aaron Larson
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
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
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 1275300 | Seeley Creek | 10017025 | Seeley Creek - Cth Pf | 4/21/1992 | 8/1/2022 | Map | Data |
| 1275300 | Seeley Creek | 10016730 | Seeley Cr. - Dwns. Klein Rd. | 11/6/1990 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1275300 | Seeley Creek | 10032021 | Seeley Creek at Freedom Rd | 6/10/2007 | 11/4/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1275300 | Seeley Creek | 10036619 | Seeley Creek - Area of Open Water | 7/17/2010 | 7/17/2010 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Seeley Creek is located in the Narrows Creek and Baraboo River watershed which is 176.33 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (31.70%), agricultural (30.90%) and a mix of grassland (25.80%) and other uses (11.60%). This watershed has 368.35 stream miles, 331.44 lake acres and 4,694.54 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.
Seeley Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, 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.
Cool (Cold-Transition) Headwaters are small, usually perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon (<10 per 100 m), transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.