5.88 Miles
0 - 5.88
Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2016
Good
Marathon
Yes
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The lower portion of McGinnis Creek is classified as a Class II trout stream. It is one of the few streams in western Marathon County capable of supporting trout. Beaver are active in this creek.
Sand and gravel excavations occur on lower McGinnis Creek. It is unknown if these operations are having an adverse impact on water quality. A 1976 stream survey report conducted by the DNR revealed streambank pasturing occurs on lower McGinnis Creek resulting in destruction of fish habitat, bank erosion and stream sedimentation.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
The lower portion of McGinnis Creek is classified as a Class II trout stream. It is one of the few
streams in western Marathon County capable of supporting trout. Beaver are active in this creek.
Sand and gravel excavations occur on lower McGinnis Creek. It is unknown if these operations are
having an adverse impact on water qualit . A 1976 stream survey re ort conducted by the DNR
revealed streambank pasturing occurs on r ower McGinnis Creek resulting in destruction of fish
habitat, bank erosion and stream sedimentation.
Date 1991
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
General Condition
McGinnis Creek (miles 0-5.88) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) 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
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 |
|---|
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10016875 | Mcginnis Creek - Sampled Riffle 10 Yards Upstreamrainbow Drive. | 5/8/1998 | 10/27/1999 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10016870 | Mc Ginnis Creek - 10 Feet Upstream Bridge On Rainbow Dr. | 10/28/1998 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10016869 | Mc Ginnis Creek - 10 Feet Upstream Rainbow Drive | 12/4/2000 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10016873 | Mc Ginnis Creek - 5 Meters Upstream Rainbow Dr. | 10/16/2001 | 10/16/2001 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10016871 | Mc Ginnis Creek - ~5 Yards Upstream Rainbow Drive | 9/30/2003 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10030417 | McGinnis at Rainbow Dr | 10/29/2009 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10030416 | McGinnis Creek at Naugart Dr | | | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10030415 | McGinnis Creek at Lincoln Rd | 5/8/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10016872 | Mc Ginnis Creek - Rainbow Drive (5 Meters Upstreamof Bridge) | 10/29/2002 | 10/29/2002 | Map | Data |
| 1461100 | McGinnis Creek | 10030418 | McGinnis at CTH F | 1/1/2015 | 9/28/2016 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
McGinnis Creek is located in the Upper Rib River watershed which is 197.07 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (51.60%), wetland (26.90%) and a mix of agricultural (13.60%) and other uses (7.90%). This watershed has stream miles, lake acres and 17,127.41 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Low for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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.
Mcginnis Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Headwater, 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) 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.