Left Foot Creek, Lower Peshtigo River Watershed (GB07)
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Left Foot Creek, Lower Peshtigo River Watershed (GB07)
Left Foot Creek (524500)
2.89 Miles
5.09 - 7.98
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.
Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater
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.
2017
Excellent
 
Marinette
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.
Yes
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.
No

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.
Supported Aquatic Life
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
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.
Cold (Class II Trout)
Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L through natural reproduction and selective propagation. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.
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.
Cold
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Overview

Left Foot Creek, in the Lower Peshtigo River Watershed, is a 7.98 mile river that falls in Marinette County. This river is a Class II Trout Water under the Fisheries Program. This river is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Left Foot Creek, Lower Peshtigo River Watershed (GB07) Fish and Aquatic LifeLeft Foot Creek, Lower Peshtigo River Watershed (GB07) RecreationLeft Foot Creek, Lower Peshtigo River Watershed (GB07) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Left Foot Creek (WBIC 524500) from the mouth through Left Foot Lake was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus, biological (macroinvertebrate and fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores), and temperature sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.

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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
2014 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Left Foot Creek - 200 Yds Above 5th Rd  

Recommendations

Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Conduct additonal surveys in the Left Foot Creek HUC 12 wateshed to determine suitability to continue to manage Left Foot Creek as Trout water. Additional temperature monitoring, fish surveys, and habitat surveys should be completed above and below Left Foot Lake.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Conduct additonal surveys in the Left Foot Creek HUC 12 wateshed to determine suitability to continue to manage Left Foot Creek as Trout water. Additional temperature monitoring, fish surveys, and habitat surveys should be completed above and below Left Foot Lake.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
2017 temperature data shows 2 months with over 10% of days exceeding coldwater crietiera (Class II). "Recommend against listing based on natural conditions and stream is reflective of cool-warm transitional headwater and not cool-cold. The NC Verification of this stream was a perfect fit for a cool-warm headwater. If listed, the category should be for 5C as this segment of river is subject to warming under natural conditions.
Nine Key Element Plan
Support the development, implementation, and post implementation monitoring for a 9-Key Element Plan in coordination with Marinette County in the Lower Peshtigo River Watershed.
Diagnostic/Feasibility Assessment
Conduct a culvert passage assessment within the watershed to evaluate crossings for fish passage.
Navigability Determination
Investigate the installation of an unauthorized rock dam upstream of Loop Lake Road that may act as a fish passage barrier.

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
Lower Peshtigo River TWA WQM Plan, 20172014

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
524500Left Foot Creek10020008Left Foot Lake/Creek -- Access - Poplar LnMapData
524800Unnamed10049284UNT to Left Foot Creek 110m DS Loop Lake Rd6/5/20176/5/2017MapData
524500Left Foot Creek10042722Left Foot Creek 50m us Loop Lake Rd7/14/20145/12/2017MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Left Foot Creek is located in the Lower Peshtigo River watershed which is 194.98 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily wetland (40.10%), forest (24.10%) and a mix of agricultural (21.90%) and other uses (14.00%). This watershed has 281.45 stream miles, 7,822.68 lake acres and 39,769.86 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium 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.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.

Natural Community

Left Foot 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.

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