8.89 Miles
0 - 8.89
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater
2015
Excellent
Jackson
Yes
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
South Fork Halls Creek, which is managed as a Class II trout stream, joins Halls Creek just upstream of Oakwood Lake. The stream originates south of Alma Center and flows north then east toward Merrillan. Cisna and Hayden Creeks are both tributary to the South Fork. Macroinvertebrate sampling indicate some organic loading to the stream. Continuous temperature monitoring results indicate a mean temperature (16 degrees C) within the optimal temperature for growth and survival of brook (11-16 degrees C) and brown trout (12-19 degrees C). In-stream habitat rated poorer than Halls Creek and East Fork Halls Creek, comparatively. Consequently, the South Fork Halls Creek would benefit from implementation of nonpoint source controls (Schreiber).
From: Koperksi, Cindy. 1999. Black River Water Quality Management Plan (draft). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
Author Cynthia Koperski
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
Monitor Fish Community
DNR water program staff should conduct a fishery survey on
Creek 12-6 (West (South?) Fork Halls Creek).
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 |
|---|
| 1713300 | South Fork Halls Creek | 10013416 | South Fork Halls Creek Railroad Rd. | | | Map | Data |
| 1713300 | South Fork Halls Creek | 10032320 | S. Fork Halls Creek at Hwy. F bridge Alma Center | | | Map | Data |
| 1713300 | South Fork Halls Creek | 10008428 | South Fork Halls Creek Station 3 - Hwy F | | | Map | Data |
| 1713300 | South Fork Halls Creek | 10042828 | South Fork Halls Creek off snowmobile bridge at Chippewa Valley By products | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1713300 | South Fork Halls Creek | 10042829 | South Fork Halls Creek adjacent to Frac Sand Processing site - downstream Chippewa Valley By products | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1713300 | South Fork Halls Creek | 10014000 | South Fork Halls Creek | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1713300 | South Fork Halls Creek | 10008894 | Mouthof Trib. Off Of Railroad Rd. | 5/14/1992 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
South Fork Halls Creek is located in the Halls Creek watershed which is 115.13 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (59%), agricultural (27.80%) and a mix of grassland (6.60%) and other uses (6.60%). This watershed has 214.37 stream miles, 148.87 lake acres and 7,228.50 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and Medium for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Medium. 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.
South Fork Halls Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater 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.