Love Creek, Mill and Blue Mounds Creek Watershed (LW15)
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Love Creek, Mill and Blue Mounds Creek Watershed (LW15)
Love Creek (1244400)
3.94 Miles
0 - 3.94
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.
2024
Unknown
 
Iowa
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.
Yes
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 I Trout)
Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species through natural reproduction. 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.
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

Love Creek is a Class I trout stream that supports the natural reproduction of brown trout. It
is also considered an outstanding resource water (ORW). There is some sedimentation in the
stream near the mouth. Nearly 570 acres of land are publicly owned and make up the Love
Creek Fishery Area. The fishery area offers opportunities for fishing, birdwatching and
hiking. The stream has been hydrologically modified and experiences some nonpoint source
pollution.

From: Ripp, Coreen, Koperski, Cindy and Folstad, Jason. 2002. The State of the Lower Wisconsin River Basin. PUBL WT-559-2002. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  2002

Author  Cynthia Koperski

Historical Description

Love Creek is a Class I trout stream (WDNR, 1985). It is also considered an exceptional
resource water. There is some sedimentation in the stream near the mouth
(WDNR, 1991) and some public ownership along the creek.

Date  1994

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Historical Description

Love Creek - Mouth location T7N R4E Section 34 -1, Surface area = 2.4 acres, Length = 3.1 miles, Gradient = 65.8 feet per mile, Total alkalinity = 257.0 mg/l, Volume of flow = 5.4 cfs.
Love Creek is a spring fed tributary of Mill Creek. It contributes about 15 percent of the base flow of Mill Creek and is considered one of the better trout streams in Iowa County. About three-fourths of its watershed area has been cleared for farming which has brought about serious bank erosion due to the rapid runoff of precipitation. This problem has broughtabout the construction of a flood control dam (without a permanent pool) just below the confluence with its tributary. This is part of the Twin Parks Watershed project administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and planned for the Mill Creek Watershed. This stream and its only tributary have long been esteemed by trout fishermen for its large brow trout which reproduce naturally. Brook trout were captured by electrofishing in 1948 but have not been reported since. Presently, brown trout are stocked on an annual basis to supplement the fishery. Other fish species known to occur include white suckers, creek chubs and mottled muddlers. Game assets include muskrats and some puddle ducks which utilize the stream sparingly throughout the year.
There are no public lands along this stream. one town road crossing and through private lands. It is accessible from one town road crossing and through private lands.

From: Piening, Ronald and Threinen, C.W., 1968. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Iowa County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1968

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Love Creek, Mill and Blue Mounds Creek Watershed (LW15) Fish and Aquatic LifeLove Creek, Mill and Blue Mounds Creek Watershed (LW15) RecreationLove Creek, Mill and Blue Mounds Creek Watershed (LW15) Fish Consumption

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

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
Fish Propagation Actions2001

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
1244400Love Creek10029203Love Creek - 350m US Strutt Creek Confluence12/3/200312/3/2003MapData
1244400Love Creek10048635Love Creek 150m DS of confluence with Strutt CreekMapData
1244400Love Creek10044780Love Creek at Dugway Rd7/9/20157/9/2015MapData
1244400Love Creek253179Love Creek - Love Creek6/12/20039/17/2003MapData
1244400Love Creek10048634Love Creek - 800m US confluence with Strutt creekMapData
1244400Love Creek10046964Love Creek at Dugway Rd11/27/20199/27/2024MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Love Creek is located in the Mill and Blue Mounds Creek watershed which is 186.74 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (54.60%), grassland (20.40%) and a mix of agricultural (15.30%) and other uses (9.80%). This watershed has 382.87 stream miles, 106.91 lake acres and 6,596.99 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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

Love 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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