4.96 Miles
0 - 4.96
Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater, Cool-Warm Headwater
2015
Poor
Elevated Water Temperature
Other flow regime alterations
Jackson
Yes
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Pigeon Creek flows approximately five miles before reaching Glenn Creek, which is a Robinson Creek tributary. The Pigeon Creek sub-watershed lies entirely within the Black River State Forest. Pigeon Creek Flowage is located approximately mid-way between the mouth and headwater area. A state forest campground and swimming beach are located adjacent to this flowage. Removal of the dam which creates Pigeon Creek Flowage may enable the stream to attain trout classification (Talley). Leakage through the dam was the only downstream discharge in the summer of 1996. No trout were captured in the 100 meter stream segments sampled above and below the flowage (Avery, 1997).
From: Koperksi, Cindy. 1999. Black River Water Quality Management Plan (draft). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Date 1999
Author Cynthia Koperski
Impaired Waters
Impaired stream reach (location and mileage): from its confluence with Glenn Creek, upstream and passing through Pigeon Creek Flowage to its headwaters. (4.7 miles). Historic stream surveys in 1967 and 1937 (yes 1937 not a typo) indicate that brook trout was the predominant species, with brown trout also existing. The dam was built in 1937, so that probably impacted the trout population. Actual counts and lengths are not given and how reliable this info is I don t know, but trout existed in the stream years ago. Pigeon Creek is listed as a Category 3 trout stream in the Trout book. Cause of impairment (ex. temperature, nutrients, sediment, BOD, toxics, etc.). Dissolved Oxygen, temperature, stream flow, habitat. Source of impairments are hydrological modifications associated with Pigeon Creek Flowage. Since the entire watershed is located in the Black River State Forest there are no apparent nonpoint sources.
Description of monitoring conducted (including dates, results, quality of data and reports):Continuous temperature monitoring conducted during summer 2002 in Pigeon Creek below Pigeon Creek Flowage found a maximum stream temperature of 35 C. (95 F.). A fish survey conducted in 2002 found a warmwater IBI rating of very poor. There were no coldwater fish species in the stream. A fish survey should be conducted above Pigeon Creek Flowage to determine its fishery status. Continuous DO monitoring should be conducted below Pigeon Creek Flowage.
Date 2003
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
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 |
|---|
| 1700800 | Pigeon Creek | 10039018 | Pigeon Creek at Stanton Road | | | Map | Data |
| 1700800 | Pigeon Creek | 10038509 | Pigeon Creek at Settlement Road | 10/23/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1700800 | Pigeon Creek | 273046 | Pigeon Creek - Upstream Of Flowage | 8/1/1996 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1700800 | Pigeon Creek | 10038510 | Pigeon Creek DS Smrekar Road | | | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Pigeon Creek is located in the Trout Run and Robinson Creeks watershed which is 216.93 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (72.30%), agricultural (11%) and a mix of wetland (6.70%) and other uses (10.00%). This watershed has 326.05 stream miles, 791.85 lake acres and 17,562.31 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and Low for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Low. 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.
Pigeon Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater, 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.
Entire stream (class 3).
Date 1980
Author Aquatic Biologist