![Westfield Creek, Montello River Watershed (UF13) Westfield Creek, Montello River Watershed (UF13)](wsSWIMSDocument.ashx?documentSeqNo=47601420)
10.93 Miles
0 - 10.93
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Coldwater
2018
Good
Marquette
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The water course between Lawrence Pond and Tagatz Creek immediately upstream from Harrisyille Pond is known as Westfield Creek. Dams at Lawrence (23 -foot head) and at Westfield (17 -foot head) are still operated to provide hydroelectric power. The stream has clear water over sand, gravel and silt. Panfish and northern pike are the principal fishes though some trout from a short tributary in Westfield reach the stream and are occasionally caught. This feeder originates at the Conservation Department's Westfield hatchery. The stream has two tributaries of significance, Caves Creek and an unnamed stream entering at T16N, R9E, Section 5. About 400 acres of timber swamp adjoin the stream below the entry of Caves Creek.
Westfield Creek, T17N, R9E, Section 34, Surface Acres: 45.3, Miles = 12.9, Gradient: 4.0 feet per mile.
From: Poff, Ronald J. and Threinen, C.W., 1963. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Marquette County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1963
Author Aquatic Biologist
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 |
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16600 | McCarty Park Pond | 10015755 | Westfield Creek - Downstream Of Lawrence Lake Dam | 9/18/2001 | 9/18/2001 | Map | Data |
5561049 | Unnamed | 10036268 | Westfield Creek - Area of Open Water | 7/1/2010 | 7/17/2010 | Map | Data |
166000 | Westfield Creek | 10008303 | Westfield Creek (Wc-3) | | | Map | Data |
166000 | Westfield Creek | 10008270 | Westfield Creek (Wc-2) | 9/25/2001 | 9/25/2001 | Map | Data |
166000 | Westfield Creek | 10008259 | Westfield Creek (Wc-1) | 10/30/2001 | 10/30/2001 | Map | Data |
166000 | Westfield Creek | 10036268 | Westfield Creek - Area of Open Water | 7/1/2010 | 7/17/2010 | Map | Data |
166000 | Westfield Creek | 10009782 | Westfield Creek - Westfield Creek Wpdes Review | 8/18/2008 | 10/31/2018 | Map | Data |
166000 | Westfield Creek | 10032461 | Westfield Creek at Westfield POTW | | | Map | Data |
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![](wsWaterEcosystem.ashx?watershed=UF13)
Watershed Characteristics
Westfield Creek is located in the Montello River watershed which is 134.50 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (46.40%), agricultural (27.10%) and a mix of wetland (15.30%) and other uses (11.00%). This watershed has 156.65 stream miles, 768.66 lake acres and 11,663.70 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.
Westfield 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.