![Hawkinson Creek, Elk Creek Watershed (BT03) Hawkinson Creek, Elk Creek Watershed (BT03)](wsSWIMSDocument.ashx?documentSeqNo=47601420)
4 Miles
0 - 4
Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
2015
Poor
Degraded Biological Community
Unknown Pollutant
Trempealeau
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Hawkinson Valley Creek is a four mile tributary to Chimney Rock. The stream has a current use of warm water forage fish. Recent fishery surveys found a few stocked trout in lower reaches and a limited number of warm water species in upper stream locations. Baseflow water chemistry samples collected from the stream just below a state wildlife area found total phosphorus concentrations three times higher than the proposed water quality standard. Land use above the sampling site is mostly protected, with the wildfire area representing 30% of the watershed. Similar to Borst Valley Creek, causes of elevated phosphorus concentrations are not known since most current watershed land use is protected.
Date 2010
Author Mark Hazuga
Impaired Waters
Hawkinson Creek (1785500) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; biological impairment was observed (i.e. at least one macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) average scored in the poor condition category).
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
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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1785500 | Hawkinson Creek | 10021131 | Hawkinson Creek | | | Map | Data |
1785500 | Hawkinson Creek | 10022043 | Hawkinson Creek - Linberg Rd. | | | Map | Data |
1785500 | Hawkinson Creek | 10021103 | Hawkenson Valley Creek | 7/25/2007 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
1785500 | Hawkinson Creek | 10038936 | Hawkenson Valley Creek - Knudsen easement DS of property line | | | Map | Data |
1785500 | Hawkinson Creek | 10038937 | Hawkenson Valley Creek - Hawkenson Valley Rd. upstream Fish Station | | | Map | Data |
1785500 | Hawkinson Creek | 623221 | Hawkinson Creek - Drwy Swse 11 T23 R9 | 4/23/1979 | 4/19/1989 | Map | Data |
1785500 | Hawkinson Creek | 10021009 | Hawkinson Creek Downstream Of Field Access Trail | | | Map | Data |
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![](wsWaterEcosystem.ashx?watershed=BT03)
Watershed Characteristics
Hawkinson Creek is located in the Elk Creek watershed which is 112.95 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.90%), agricultural (28.70%) and a mix of grassland (23.30%) and other uses (6.20%). This watershed has 284.80 stream miles, 47.13 lake acres and 3,310.85 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.
Hawkinson 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.
More Interactive Maps
Maps of Watershed