Green
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Originating at the confluence of Bushnell and Buckskin School Creeks, this large stream flows southwesterly and joins the Pecatonica near Browntown. The creek has an abundance of forage fish, but also contains sport fish. Fish such as smallmouth bass, northern pike and channel catfish are more prevalent in periods of high water. The stream once ran through an extensive area of wetlands, but now only 120 acres of wetland remains. check with wetland map Monitoring has not been conducted on this stream within the last 10 years.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Bush, D.M., R. Cornelius, D. Engle, and C.L. Brynildson. 1980. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Green County, 2nd Edition. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, Wisconsin.
Originating at the confluence of Bushnell and Buckskin School Creeks, this large stream flows southwesterly and joins the Pecatonica River near Browntown. The stream once ran through an extensive area of wetlands, but
most of the stream was ditched. It now drains pasture and cropland, with only 120 acres of wetlands remaining. The s'tream is very sluggish and turbid and its bottom cons'ists primarily of silt and muck.
The fishery of Skinner Creek is managed for warmwater species"especially smallmouth bass. Other game fish present include northern pike, channel catfish, green sunfish, and a few brown trout in the upper end. Several species of forage fish inhabit the stream and are usually more abundant than the game species. Muskrats are present throughout, and several small patches of wetlands provide a marginal habitat for duc~s and other wildlife. Public frontage and access is restricted to 11 road crossings.
Fish Species: Brown trout, central mudminnow, northern pike, central stoneroller, carp, hornyhead chub, golden shiner. common shiner, bigmouth shiner, rosyface shiner, spotfin shiner, sand shiner, suckermouth
minnow, bluntnose minnow, creek chub, white sucker, northern hog sucker, silver redhorse, shorthead redhorse, channel catfish. stonecat, green sunfish, smallmouth bass, fantail darter, Johnny darter, banded darter.
Surface Acres = 33.6, Length = 14.0 Miles, Gradient = 3.b ft./mi., Base Discharge = 37.3 cu. ft./sec.
Date 1980
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Historical Description
Flows generally southwest to the village of Browntown and the Sugar River. The headwaters of this stream are known as Bushnell Creek and Buckskin School Branch. Managed for smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and forage fish. Occasionally trout are caught as they move out of the trout waters above. Open, unprotected banks, and deep holes on the meanders; typical features of a large stream in hilly agricultural land. One hundred and eighty acres of predominantly open marshland lie adjacent to the stream. From: Poff, Ronald J., and C.W. Threinen, Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Green County, Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison I, 1961.
Surface Acres= 23.8, Miles= 14.0, Gradient= 3.9' per mile
Date 1961
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Skinner Creek (894500) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2012. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, available biological data did not indicate impairment (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the "poor" condition category). Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date 2015
Author Aaron Larson
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
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands
Restore Wetlands
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 |
|---|
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 233063 | Skinner Creek - Bl Milk Specialties | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 233061 | Skinner Creek - Above Milk Specialties | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 10014390 | Skinner Creek-Upstream Of Smock Valley Rd 272m To End Gps | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 233235 | Skinner Creek at Klondike Rd Near Monroe WI | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 10032527 | Skinner Creek at Hwy. 81 Jordan | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 233237 | Skinner Creek - Cheese Country Recreation Trail In Browntown | 7/14/2005 | 9/21/2006 | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 10012094 | Skinner Creek - Upstream Of Hiawatha Rd. | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 233059 | Skinner Creek - Iroquois Foundry Cooling Water | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 10046992 | Skinner Creek at Cadiz Springs Rd | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 10012085 | Skinner Creek - Upstream Of Klondike Rd. | 5/7/1980 | 10/14/2004 | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 233060 | Skinner Creek - Milk Specialties-Cooling Water | | | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 10012100 | Skinner Creek - Upstream Of Skinner Hollow Rd. | 10/26/2002 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 894500 | Skinner Creek | 10046993 | Skinner Crk at Old HWY 11 Bridge off CTH M (Browntown) | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Skinner Creek is located in the Jordan and Skinner Creeks watershed which is 94.06 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (41.80%), grassland (41.30%) and a mix of forest (11.80%) and other uses (5.20%). This watershed has 234.78 stream miles, 48.73 lake acres and 1,559.08 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.This water is ranked Medium Stream for individual Rivers based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.