Willow Creek, Menomonee River,Upper Fox River - Illinois Watershed (FX07)
Return to Search
Willow Creek, Menomonee River,Upper Fox River - Illinois Watershed (FX07)
Willow Creek (18800)
2.80 Miles
0 - 2.80
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.
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
Fair
 
This river is impaired
Recreational Restrictions - Pathogens
Fecal Coliform
 
Washington, Waukesha
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.
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.
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

Willow Creek is a short tributary to the Menomonee River in Washington County. The attainable use of this creek is a warm water forage fishery.

Date  2011

Author  Maureen Mcbroom

Willow Creek, Menomonee River,Upper Fox River - Illinois Watershed (FX07) Fish and Aquatic LifeWillow Creek, Menomonee River,Upper Fox River - Illinois Watershed (FX07) RecreationWillow Creek, Menomonee River,Upper Fox River - Illinois Watershed (FX07) 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
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Milwaukee River Watershed TMDL USEPA Approval Letter
USEPA Decision Document for the Milwaukee River Watershed TMDL, WI
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
2015 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Willow Creek at Maple Rd_ Near Germantown_ WI
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
Willow Creek at Maple Rd-Road Salt Monitoring Data Summary February 2011 - March 2014
Identifying Stream Passage Impediments and Opportunities to Address Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation in the Menomonee River Watershed
Identifying Stream Passage Impediments and Opportunities to Address Aquatic Habitat Fragmentation in the Menomonee River Watershed [Appendix A Part 2]
Willow Creek at Maple Rd-Road Salt Monitoring Data Summary February 2011 - December 2012
Willow Creek at Maple Rd-Road Salt Monitoring Data Summary February - December 2011
Menomonee River Watershed Plan (MI03)
Frame Park Creek Upper Fox River (FX07) Watershed Plan 2010

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.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Needs temperature class verified, but still shouldnt be compared to coldwater criteria. intermittent stream, still need to verify natural community

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
Milwaukee River TMDL2012
Willow Creek at Maple Road, near Germantown, WI2011

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
18800Willow Creek673269Willow Creek at Maple Rd Near Germantown WI9/29/199911/4/2024MapData
18800Willow Creek10011279Willow Creek at Cth Y/Sth167 (25m Upstream)5/13/199710/24/2023MapData
18800Willow Creek10040639Willow Creek at Willow Creek Rd9/23/19983/23/2024MapData
18800Willow Creek10047412Menomonee Falls 410/5/201610/5/2016MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Willow Creek is located in the Upper Fox River - Illinois watershed which is 151.08 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily suburban (35.10%), wetland (17%) and a mix of urban (14.20%) and other uses (33.70%). This watershed has 218.00 stream miles, 2,907.45 lake acres and 12,048.42 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.This water is ranked High Stream for individual Rivers based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.

Natural Community

Willow Creek is considered a 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.

More Interactive Maps
View Water in Alternative Map