14.03 Miles
0 - 14.03
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Coldwater
2015
Poor
Degraded Biological Community
Unknown Pollutant
Chippewa, Eau Claire
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Expanding the Menomonie Street/U.S. Highway 12 intersection in the city of Eau Claire to
accommodate traffic resulted in a portion of Sherman Creek being rerouted. The lower stretch of
stream now flows through a new channel beside Highway 12 and through a box culvert under
Menomonie Street.
As a result of improved access from the Highway 12 improvement project, the west side of Eau
Claire will likely develop more rapidly than in the past. Sherman Creek is possibly already
degraded by storm water discharge from existing development and is potentially susceptible to
receiving more. Baseline water quality data on Sherman Creek would aid the city of Eau Claire
with development of its storm water management ordinance (Koperski) .
Date 1996
Author Cynthia Koperski
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
Recommendations
Monitor Fish Community
AU 16080, poor fIBI, Station 10010386
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 |
|---|
| 2125100 | Sherman Creek | 10010386 | Sherman Creek - Sherman Creek Remap 199-B | 6/25/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2125100 | Sherman Creek | 183126 | Sherman Creek - (Bridge) | 6/17/2003 | 6/17/2003 | Map | Data |
| 2125100 | Sherman Creek | 10010385 | Sherman Creek - Sherman Creek Remap 199-X | | | Map | Data |
| 2125100 | Sherman Creek | 10038769 | Sherman creek off of Vine St | 10/21/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2125100 | Sherman Creek | 183133 | Sherman Creek - Sherman Creek Park Vine St | 10/16/2003 | 9/7/2008 | Map | Data |
| 2125100 | Sherman Creek | 10034891 | Sherman Creek at Race St | 1/11/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2125100 | Sherman Creek | 183125 | Sherman Creek - Sherman Creek | 6/17/2003 | 6/17/2003 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Sherman Creek is located in the Muddy and Elk Creeks watershed which is 237.94 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (48.60%), forest (21.80%) and a mix of grassland (16.80%) and other uses (12.80%). This watershed has 313.30 stream miles, 590.92 lake acres and 11,999.60 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, High 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.
Sherman Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, 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) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent,
mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to 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.