20.56 Miles
0.51 - 21.07
Warm Mainstem, COOL-Warm Mainstem
2015
Good
Chippewa
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The lower stretch of this creek, which feeds into the upper portion of Lake Wissota, is an
important spawning area for the lake's northern pike population. The submergent vegetation serves
as a valuable nursery for young gamefish, panfish and forage fish (Kurz 1989). Wetlands buffer
much of the streambank from erosion.
Date 1996
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 |
|---|
| 5590939 | Unnamed | 10036072 | O'Neil Creek - Area of Open Water | 7/18/2005 | 7/29/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10014233 | O'Neil Creek (atSth 124) | 10/13/1980 | 10/13/1980 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10039372 | O'Neil Creek at Hwy 124 | | | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10029354 | O'NEIL CREEK - 34m upstream of 135th Ave | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10036072 | O'Neil Creek - Area of Open Water | 7/18/2005 | 7/29/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10011670 | O'Neil Creek - Oneil Creek 1 - 145th St | 6/1/2008 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10029355 | O'NEIL CREEK - 832m downstream of STH 124 | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10032349 | O'Neil Creek at Hwy. 124 bridge | | | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10029353 | O'NEIL CREEK - 161m upstream of 140th St. (Richardson Rd.) | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10029690 | ONeill Creek Down Stream of 145th Street | 5/30/2008 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 093062 | Oneil Creek - Ne1/4 Of Sw1/4 Sec. 7 | 4/22/1980 | 10/14/1980 | Map | Data |
| 2168900 | O'Neil Creek | 10017300 | O'Neil Cr. At Road By Northwestern Railroad Tracks | 4/22/1980 | 4/22/1980 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
O'Neil Creek is located in the McCann Creek and Fisher River watershed which is 311.06 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (39.20%), agricultural (22.90%) and a mix of wetland (22.10%) and other uses (15.80%). This watershed has 385.14 stream miles, 3,485.11 lake acres and 33,345.65 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked 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.
O'Neill Creek is considered a Warm Mainstem, COOL-Warm Mainstem 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.
Warm Mainstem waters are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with relatively warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.