6.12 Miles
0 - 6.12
Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Headwater
1999
Unknown
Fond Du Lac
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
MT CALVARY BRANCH, FOND DU LAC COUNTY.
T16N R19E Sec. 21 Stream Length = 6.8 miles WBIC = 61400
The unnamed tributary to Sheboygan River (Mt. Calvary Branch) flows into the Sheboygan River within the St. Cloud State Wildlife Area, which is a large wetland complex with considerable wildlife habitat. The confluence is approximately 1.8 miles upstream of where the Sheboygan River crosses CTH CCC. The stream is spring fed and has several small tributaries. Mt. Calvary Branch has a relatively low gradient and has several large wetland conplexes adjacent to its course. Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural but does include natural areas and minor urban areas. The Village of Mt. Calvary has a municipal wastewater discharge to the stream downstream of Basswood Road.
WDNR personnel monitored the biological communites and habitat of the stream upstream of Basswood Road (river mile 2.2) in 1999. Historical fish collections were done upstream of CTH CCC (river mile 1.2) and upstream of STH 149 (river mile 3.9). The fish assessment data are shown in Table 21. Fish and macroinvertebrate communities rated fair at the site and stream habitat rated excellent (Table 22). The lower rating for the fish and macroinvertebrate may be attributed to poor water quality and periodic low dissolved oxygen levels associated with storm water runoff from agricultural land use.
Date 2001
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
Recommendations
Navigability Determination
16N 19E S17; Sheboygan River, trib;
Navigability Determination
16N 19E S17; Sheboygan River, trib;
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 |
|---|
| 50700 | Sheboygan River | 10016153 | Sheboygan River - North Branch Sheboygan Riverupstream Of Mt Calvary Wwtp And Upstreamof Basswood Road | 10/19/1999 | 10/19/1999 | Map | Data |
| 61400 | Unnamed | 10016109 | Calvary Br/Sheb. River - Cb-02-10 Ft US of Culvert Onco Hwy CCC | 4/23/1987 | 10/27/1987 | Map | Data |
| 61400 | Unnamed | 10021995 | Malone Tributary To Sheboygan River | | | Map | Data |
| 61400 | Unnamed | 10015565 | Unnamed Trib To Sheboygan River Upstream Of Cth Ccc | | | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Unnamed is located in the Sheboygan River watershed which is 260.12 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (47.30%), grassland (17.60%) and a mix of wetland (16.70%) and other uses (18.30%). This watershed has 340.24 stream miles, 4,345.33 lake acres and 27,968.05 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.
Mt Calvary Branch, Fond Du Lac County. is considered a Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm 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 (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are 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.