Watershed - Halls Creek (BR06)
Halls Creek Watershed

Details

The Halls Creek watershed encompasses approximately 115 square miles of Jackson and Clark counties. Due to its fairly level topography, the area around Alma Center contains much of the agricultural lands. The percent of land in this watershed devoted to agriculture is less than half. Of the 110 stream miles in the Halls Creek watershed, 40 are Class I and II trout streams. Increased stream water temperatures caused by discharge from impoundments limit the biological use potential for much of the remaining stream miles. Three major impoundments exist in this watershed: Emerson Lake on East Fork Halls Creek and Oakwood and Trow Lakes in short succession on Halls Creek. Streambank pasturing exists in some areas, but is not a pervasive problem. Steep canyon-like walls buffer much of lower Halls Creek. The DNR owns over 800 acres of land adjacent to Halls Creek above Merrillan, known as the Halls Creek State Fishery Area.

Date  1999

Nonpoint and Point Sources

A recent water resource survey of the streams in this watershed revealed that several streams rank high regarding problems associated with non-point pollution. However, many more stream miles in this watershed rank low or medium. A non-point source priority watershed project would not be recommended for the entire watershed. However, a project that concentrated on the high ranked streams should result in improved stream conditions.

Date  1999