![Traverse Valley Creek, Middle Trempealeau River Watershed (BT02) Traverse Valley Creek, Middle Trempealeau River Watershed (BT02)](wsSWIMSDocument.ashx?documentSeqNo=47601420)
6.10 Miles
0 - 6.10
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater
2021
Poor
High Phosphorus Levels
Total Phosphorus
Trempealeau
Yes
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
This tributary to the Trempealeau River is severely limited along its entire length by agricultural NPS pollution. The lower reaches of the stream are severely degraded by intensive pasturing of livestock on the streambanks. The middle portion of this stream has been completely channelized and the associated wetlands drained. This portion of the stream has intensive row-cropping up to the stream channel.
The upper reaches still support brook trout reproduction but the stream is limited by intensive pasturing on the streambanks and animal waste runoff. If brook trout reproduction is to be maintained it is critical that nonpoint source pollution be controlled. This trout stream has very high potential for improvement if nonpoint source pollution is controlled in the watershed.
Date 1991
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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1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10021145 | Traverse Valley Creek County Hwy X Crossing Upstream 1080' | 8/17/2021 | 10/27/2021 | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10021144 | Traverse Valley Creek Garlick Rd. Crossing Upstream 1000'. | | | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10020894 | Traverse Valley Creek At Dubiel Lane | 5/30/2007 | 10/27/2021 | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10021143 | Traverse Valley Creek Dubiel Valley Rd. Crossing Upstream 1000' | | | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10021152 | Traverse Valley Creekhwy 93 Crossing Upstream 1000' | 5/13/2021 | 10/27/2021 | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10021142 | Traverse Valley Creek Lyga Valley Rd. Crossing Upstream 1000' | 8/17/2021 | 10/27/2021 | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10021141 | Traverse Valley Creek County Hwy X Crossing Upstream 1000' | | | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10039767 | Traverse Valley Creek - downstream end of Anderson easment - fish station | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
1780500 | Traverse Valley Creek | 10016952 | Traverse Valley Creek - 50 Yds. Upstream Of Bridge On Cthx At Junction With Hunts Valley Road. | 4/27/1990 | 4/27/1990 | Map | Data |
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![](wsWaterEcosystem.ashx?watershed=BT02)
Watershed Characteristics
Traverse Valley Creek is located in the Middle Trempealeau River watershed which is 205.47 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (38.50%), agricultural (31%) and a mix of grassland (21.40%) and other uses (9.00%). This watershed has 489.89 stream miles, 396.56 lake acres and 5,115.26 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.
Traverse Valley 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.