Buffalo
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The upper seven miles of Waumandee Creek are classified Class III brook and brown trout stream with the remaining 27 miles of stream a warm water fishery. Stream habitat and water quality are severely degraded by livestock pasturing the streambanks, animal waste runoff from barnyards, sediment from cropland erosion and stream channelization.
Date 1991
Author Aquatic Biologist
General Condition
Biologists place the condition of this segment as "fair" for a warmwater sport fishery, although the stream's natural community is modeled as Cool (Cold Transition) Mainstem, Cool (Warm Transition) Mainstem.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
Waumandee Creek was recently evaluated during the ten-year period of 2009 through 2018 for results that were reported to the USEPA for the 2020 Clean Water Act condition report. The waterbody is considered impaired, or in poor condition for designated uses which include the quality of fish and aquatic life, recreational use, and public health and welfare (fish consumption and related). Pollutants or problems encountered during sampling (impairments) are determined based on water quality standards outlined in Wisconsin 2020 Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (WisCALM). Assessment results show water conditions that are potentially harmful for Aquatic Life use due to values for total phosphorus that fall into the range expected for an aquatic community in poor health, therefore this water is listed as impaired.
Waumandee Creek (mile 0-12.38): Assessment results during the 2020 listing cycle show total phosphorus levels too high for healthy aquatic communities like plants, fish, and bugs according to 2020 WisCALM standards. Based on the most updated information, this water was proposed for the impaired waters list in 2020.
Waumandee Creek (mile 26.72-33.64): The most recent assessments show this portion is meetings its designated uses.
Date 2019
Author Ashley Beranek
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
Water Quality Planning
Waumandee Creek Watershed Planning
Nine Key Element Plan
Waumandee Creek PWS Plan - Nine Key Element Plan - The Waumandee Creek Watershed drains 204 square miles of land in Buffalo County in western Wisconsin. The Waumandee Creek Priority Watershed Project plan assesses the nonpoint sources of pollution in the Waumandee Creek Watershed and guides the implementation of nonpoint source control measures. These control measures are needed to meet specific water resource objectives for Waumandee Creek and its tributaries. Nonpoint sources of pollutants most commonly found in this watershed include: polluted runoff from barnyards and feedlots, sediment from cropland erosion, and sediment from streambank erosion. The purpose of this project is to reduce the amount of pollutants originating from nonpoint sources that reach surface water and groundwater within the Waumandee Creek Priority Watershed Project area.
TMDL Implementation
This TMDL in the Waumandee Watershed includes: Buell Valley Creek, Cochrane Ditch, Irish Valley Creek, Jahns Valley Creek and Weiland Valley Creek implementation.
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 |
|---|
| 1808300 | Waumandee Creek | 063086 | Waumandee Creek - Waumandee Cr Rd | 6/14/1989 | 7/13/1989 | Map | Data |
| 1808300 | Waumandee Creek | 10043013 | Waumandee Creek at Oak Valley Rd | 6/27/2016 | 6/27/2016 | Map | Data |
| 1808300 | Waumandee Creek | 10030617 | Waumandee Creek at Waumandee Creek Road | 10/13/2009 | 7/29/2021 | Map | Data |
| 1808300 | Waumandee Creek | 10009591 | Big Waumandee Creek | | | Map | Data |
| 1808300 | Waumandee Creek | 063087 | Waumandee Creek - Sth 35 | 6/14/1989 | 7/13/1989 | Map | Data |
| 5555248 | Unnamed | 10032811 | Unnamed | 8/22/2009 | 9/10/2010 | Map | Data |
|
Monitoring Studies
Monitoring in 2005, 2007 indicates poor or very poor(2007) Warm IBI but good to excellent macroinvertebrates (M-IBI) 80027. Waumandee Creek - Station 2 Cth X Road Crossing (10/13/1999) 19991013-06-07R 8.64 (excellent) and Waumandee Creek 09/24/2007 7.29 (good). Biologists place the condition of this segment as "fair" for a warmwater sport fishery.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Watershed Characteristics
Waumandee Creek is located in the Waumandee Creek watershed which is 221.97 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (49%), agricultural (24.60%) and a mix of grassland (13.70%) and other uses (12.60%). This watershed has 508.29 stream miles, 3,011.30 lake acres and 8,253.68 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available 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.