Thiel Creek, Lower Little Wolf River Watershed (WR06)
Return to Search
Thiel Creek, Lower Little Wolf River Watershed (WR06)
Thiel Creek (280100)
6.70 Miles
0 - 6.70
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.
Macroinvertebrate, Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm Headwater
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.
2021
Poor
 
This river is impaired
High Phosphorus Levels, Degraded Biological Community
Total Phosphorus
 
Waupaca
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.
Restricted Aquatic Life
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
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.
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.

Overview

Thiel Creek, in the Lower Little Wolf River Watershed, is a 6.70 mile river that falls in Waupaca County. This river is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.

Date  2018

Author  Ashley Beranek

Thiel Creek, Lower Little Wolf River Watershed (WR06) Fish and Aquatic LifeThiel Creek, Lower Little Wolf River Watershed (WR06) RecreationThiel Creek, Lower Little Wolf River Watershed (WR06) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

Thiel Creek was assessed in 2018 for phosphorus, temperature, and bugs. Phosphorus levels were too high for healthy aquatic communities like plants, bugs, and fish. In 2020 new bug and fish information showed poor community health. Thiel Creek was listed for phosphorus in 2018 and degraded biological community in 2020.

Date  2020

Author  Ashley Beranek

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

Update for New Impaired Water Listings: Total Maximum Daily Loads for Total Phosphorus and Total Suspended Solids Upper Fox and Wolf Basins
Thiel Creek, Thiel Creek US North Rail Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
Thiel Creek, Thiel Creek at Swan Road, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Thiel Creek at Cemetery Road
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Thiel Creek, Thiel Creek US North Rail Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
Thiel Creek at Swan Rd 2015, 2017 NC Validation
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

Recommendations

Monitor Targeted Watershed Area (TWA)
This project will evaluate water quality improvements made in the Lower Little Wolf River Watershed from Best Management Practices installed in the watershed from 1997 through 2008 as part of the Lower Little Wolf River Priority Watershed Project. [TWA HUC10-0403020217]. Monitoring will be conducted in 9 WBICs: 279600, 280100, 272400, 280700, 280900, 283000, 283100, 283400, 284900.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
The department should increase the water quality monitoring in these sub-watersheds to determine which areas need BMPs to reduce phosphorus delivery to the streams.
Monitor or Propose 303(d) Listing
Thiel Creek should be added to the state�s 2018 303(d) list of impaired waters due to the pollutant phosphorus.

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
Lower Little Wolf TWA WQM Plan, 20172015

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
280100Thiel Creek693162Thiel Creek at Cemetery Road6/17/19969/12/2018MapData
280100Thiel Creek10021236Thiel Creek (24)8/2/20078/2/2007MapData
280100Thiel Creek693143Thiel Creek at Swan Road10/17/199510/26/2021MapData
280100Thiel Creek10048063Thiel Creek US County N5/10/201710/26/2021MapData
280100Thiel Creek10048062Thiel Creek US North Rail Rd5/10/201710/26/2021MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Thiel Creek is located in the Lower Little Wolf River watershed which is 153.60 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (33.10%), forest (28.50%) and a mix of wetland (22.20%) and other uses (16.20%). This watershed has 189.20 stream miles, 1,038.51 lake acres and 21,932.16 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium 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.

Natural Community

Thiel Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, Warm Headwater, 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.

Warm Headwaters are small, usually intermittent streams with warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

More Interactive Maps
View Water in Alternative Map