16.43 Miles
6.31 - 22.74
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Coldwater
2015
Good
Trempealeau
Yes
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The upper and lower segments of Tamarack Creek are heavily farmed with barnyards and grazing immediately adjacent to the stream. A portion of Tamarak flows through the Tamarak Creek State Wildlife Area. This stream has the unique biological community of tamarack wetlands. The DNR owns a large area of these wetlands in the form of public hunting and fishing grounds. However, stream channelization and livestock pasturing the streambank have severely degraded fishing habitat.
Date 2009
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
Tamarack Creek (1770300) from the mouth to Hwy 35 was listed for total phosphorus in 2012. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use and biological impairment was observed (i.e. at least one 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
Recommendations
Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
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 |
|---|
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10021385 | Tamarack Creek | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10041106 | Tamarack Cr US of Amundson Ln Fish Station | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10041453 | Tamarack Cr US of STH 93 Fish Station | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 623256 | Tamarack Creek at Sth 93 | 8/18/1993 | 9/26/1996 | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10020900 | Tamarack Creek At Amundson Ln. | 6/14/2007 | 8/9/2007 | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10041102 | Tamarack Cr DS of Amundson Ln Fish Station | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10008535 | Bortle Rd | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10008536 | Hwy 93 | 10/17/1996 | 10/17/1996 | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10041452 | Tamarack Cr DS of STH 93 Fish Station | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10055618 | Tamarack Creek Spring | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10008537 | Halvorson Dr | | | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10041457 | Tamarack Cr US of Bortle Rd Fish Station | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1770300 | Tamarack Creek | 10041456 | Tamarack Cr DS of Bortle Rd Fish Station | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Tamarack Creek is located in the Lower Trempealeau River watershed which is 177.10 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.50%), agricultural (26.70%) and a mix of wetland (13.70%) and other uses (18.20%). This watershed has 332.55 stream miles, 4,667.44 lake acres and 13,986.78 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked 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.This water is ranked High Stream for individual Rivers based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.
Tamarack Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm 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.
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.