Stony Creek, Stony Creek Watershed (TK05)
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Stony Creek, Stony Creek Watershed (TK05)
Stony Creek (96100)
7.75 Miles
8.27 - 16.02
Natural Community
Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.
Warm Headwater
Year Last Monitored
This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.
2022
Poor
 
This river is impaired
Impairment Unknown
Total Phosphorus
 
Door
Trout Water 
Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.
No
Impaired Water 
A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.
Yes

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.
Restricted Aquatic Life
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
Attainable Use
The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.
WWFF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent forage fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.
Designated Use
This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

Stony Creek, 13.6 miles long, has been ditched in some sections. It begins northeast of Maplewood and flows south-southeast into Lake Michigan. The lower five miles are not classified as trout stream, but WDNR fisheries managers have found native brook trout in this reach. With habitat improvements, this reach could support a Class II trout fishery.

Date  2001

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Stony Creek, Stony Creek Watershed (TK05) Fish and Aquatic LifeStony Creek, Stony Creek Watershed (TK05) RecreationStony Creek, Stony Creek Watershed (TK05) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

The 2018 assessments of Stony Creek showed impairment by phosphorus; new total phosphorus sample data exceeded the 2018 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. Available biological data did not indicate impairment (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the "poor" condition category). Based on the most updated information, this water was proposed for the impaired waters list.

Date  2017

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

Appendix_O_2024_impairments_addressed_by_tmdl
Natural Community verification report Stony Creek Rosewood Rd 153221
Targeted Watershed Assessment for the Stony Creek Watershed (TK05) Door/Kewaunee Co.
Natural Community verification report Stony Creek at Maplewood Rd 10011691
2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Stony Creek at Rosewood Rd
Stony Creek, Stony Creek at CTH S, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
Stony Creek, Stony Creek at Geier Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
2016 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - STONY CREEK AT CTH H
2015 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Stony Creek - Cth H
2015 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Stony Creek - Cth H
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
2014 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Stony Creek - Cth H
2003-2004 Door Peninsula Baseline Monitoring Report
Continuous water quality data from multiple streams
Stony Creek Watershed Nonpoint Source Pollution Assessment Report
STONEY CREEK, DOOR COUNTY, MAPLEWOOD SD WWTP USE DESIGNATION

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.
Navigability Determination
NE SE S25 T26N R25E; Stoney Creek,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

Project Name (Click for Details)Year Started
Stony Creek at Cth U2010
Door County Navigability2008
DOOR COUNTY LCD: Stony Ck/Kruswick Farms #12004
Fish Propagation Actions2001

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
96100Stony Creek10016036Stony Creek - Cth H4/14/199410/27/2022MapData
96100Stony Creek10017350Stony Creek At Cth HMapData
96100Stony Creek10022018Stoney Cr. at County Hwy HMapData
96100Stony Creek10011691Stony Creek - Maplewood Rd.4/14/199410/5/2004MapData
96100Stony Creek10011694Kramer Creek at Maplewood RdMapData
96100Stony Creek10051133Stony Creek at Geier Rd9/20/20189/20/2018MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Stony Creek is located in the Stony Creek watershed which is 54.00 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (45.60%), wetland (26.40%) and a mix of grassland (17.30%) and other uses (10.70%). This watershed has 78.95 stream miles, 7,425.47 lake acres and 8,746.87 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.This water is ranked High Stream for individual Rivers based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.

Natural Community

Stony Creek is considered a 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.

Warm Headwaters are small, usually intermittent streams with warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

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