Duck Creek Watershed, LF05

The Duck Creek Watershed was selected as a Priority Watershed Project (PWS) in 1994 and a Priority Watershed Plan was completed in 1997 (WDNR 1997). The Duck, Apple and Ashwaubenon Priority Watershed Project joined approximately 80 similar watershed projects statewide in which nonpoint source control measures are being planned and implemented. The plan was prepared cooperatively by the WDNR, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP), the Brown County Land Conservation Department, and the Outagamie County Land Conservation Department, Oneida Nation Planning Department with assistance from the University of Wisconsin-Extension and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Priority Watershed Plan is considered an amendment to this plan. See LR02 for more information concerning the project.

The watershed's 152 square mile (393 square kilometers) land area is 62 percent in Outagamie County with the remaining 38 percent in Brown County. Land use in the Duck Creek Watershed is predominately agricultural in the upstream portions with growing residential use in and near the Green Bay Metropolitan area. Overall water quality and stream habitat is rated poor to fair, with documented problems of sedimentation, phosphorus, filamentous algae, and heavy metals (Beaver Dam Creek). Streams in this watershed are partially meeting their potential uses due to pollution from nonpoint sources. Sedimentation and phosphorus from upland agricultural fields are the major sources of nonpoint pollution in the watershed. Upland areas account for well over 80 percent of the overall load. Eroding streambanks and improperly managed livestock operations are also contributors. In addition, land use changes in riparian and upland areas, in concert with the destruction of nearly 70 percent of the area's historical wetlands, have led to the `flashy' characteristics exhibited by area streams. Consistently low summer water levels and periods of `no flow' play a major role in limiting aquatic life throughout the watershed (WDNR 1997).

There are two municipal point source dischargers and three industrial point source dischargers in the Duck Creek Watershed: Freedom Sanitary District No. 1, Sanger B Powers Correctional Center, Anamax, New Harvest Foods Inc and Provimi Inc.

There are a number of publications that discuss the results of intensive monitoring efforts in Duck Creek. The following publications provide data and information about the water quality of Duck Creek:

• Results of Quality-Control Sampling of Water, Bed Sediment, and Tissure in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages Study Unit of the National Water Quality Assessment Program, Sharon A. Fitzgerald.
• Stream Habitat Characteristics of Fixed Sites in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Wisconsin and Michigan, 1993-1995,@ Daniel J. Sullivan.
• Feasibility of Combining Two Aquatic Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Databases for Water Quality Assessment, Bernard N. Lenz.
• Fish Communities of Fixed Sites in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Wisconsin and Michigan, 1993-1995, Daniel J. Sullivan.
• Trace Elements and Synthetic Organic Compounds in Biota and Streambed Sediment of the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, 1992-1995, Barbara C. Scudder and others.
• Environmental Setting and Implications for Water Quality in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Charles A. Peters.
• Comparison of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Samples Collected Using Different Feld Methods, Bernard N. Lenz and Mihcael A. Mill.

Recommendations

1. The Land and Water Conservation Boardshould secure and continue funding for the Duck, Apple and Ashwaubenon Priority Watershed Project (Type B).

2. Lower Fox River Basin Team should secure funds to continue operating the U.S. Geological Survey flow gauging station on Duck Creek at CTH FF (Type B).

3. Brown County Planning Commission should continue updating and amending the Brown County Sewerage Plan (SSA Plan) on an as needed basis to prevent development in unsuitable areas (environmental sensitive areas) and protect surface and ground water quality (Type B).

4. Lower Fox River Basin Team should conduct sediment sampling on Beaver Dam Creek to determine if sediment contamination exists and to develop a sediment inventory for the Lower Fox River Basin (Type B).

Beaver Dam Creek

Beaver Dam Creek is a small, shallow stream originating Southwest High School and meanders its way north 4 miles to eventually drain into the Duck Creek near Velp Avenue. The stream is very flashy and carries a considerable sediment load. Substrate is made up of gravel, cobble and some soft sediments. The stream has a "fair" habitat rating below Memorial Drive. Macroinvertebrates collected there in October 1994 rated water quality as "poor", in April 1995 water quality was rated as "fairly poor". Oxygen levels recorded in August and September 1995 never fell below 6 mg/l. This stream has a history of fish kills occurring every 2-3 years since the 1970's. they have been caused by ammonia spills, discharges of blood (very high BOD) from a rendering plant and other, mostly industrial practices. Fish kills are not normally severe in Beaver Dam Creek because there are not many resident fish present and most of the fish that are there can migrate downstream to Duck Creek and Green Bay. No fish surveys were conducted during the priority watershed appraisal monitoring, though it is presumed that any fish species living in Duck Creek can travel up Beaver Dam Creek (Johnson 1996).

Duck Creek

Duck Creek is a 42-mile hard water stream that originates in Burma Swamp, located in central Outagamie County, and winds northeast until it empties into the bay of Green Bay, just north of the city of Green Bay. The drainage area of the Duck Creek Watershed encompasses 152 square miles with land use in the upper portion being primarily agricultural and the lower portion being predominantly residential and urban. A Fisheries and Habitat Evaluation Assessment Plan (FHEAP) was designed for Duck Creek by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WDNR and the Oneida Tribe of Indians. This project provided information on the habitat and fish community of the Duck Creek Watershed. Sampling included fish collection and identification, population estimates and habitat evaluations. A final report will be available sometime this year (1998). The resident fishery consists primarily of panfish, bullheads and northern pike while seasonal runs of salmon, yellow perch, northern pike, walleye and suckers occur. A species of special concern, the redside dace, is present in a portion of Duck Creek. Most of Duck Creek is classified as a warm water sport fishery with the exception of the upper reaches which are classified as warm water forage fishery. Duck Creek is impacted by a multitude of negative landuse practices: Streambank buffers are rare, livestock and cropping occur right up to the streambank and ditching is prevalent. The result is erosion causing turbid water, warmer water temperatures, lower dissolved oxygen levels, stream flashiness and dramatic water fluctuation including periods of ponding and no flow (Johnson 1996 & 1998). The Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with local, State and Federal agencies, obtains a large amount of data pertaining to the water resources of Wisconsin each year (Holmstrom 1995). A gauging station is located on Duck Creek on the right bank upstream from the HWY FF Road bridge, near Howard. The station has been in service since April 1988. The type of data being collected include: chemical, discharge, sediment, and water temperature. Please refer to the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resource Data Wisconsin Water Year 1996 for specific data. The USGS also has a National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) station located on Duck Creek at Seminary Road. This station began collecting samples in March 1993. Parameters which were collected include: pesticides, macroinvertebrates, sediments, algae, habitat evaluations were conducted, caddisfly and fish tissue analysis was performed and vegetation plot surveys were completed (Johnson 1996).

Lancaster Creek

Lancaster Creek is an 8-mile tributary to Duck Creek. Monitoring in Lancaster Creek indicated "fair" to "poor" habitat ratings. Hilsenhoff (HBI) values taken at Glendale Avenue indicate "good" water quality in both spring and fall sampling. Dissolved oxygen monitoring at STH 29/32 from June 27 - July 11, 1995 rarely fell below the state standard and was sufficient to support intolerant aquatic life (Johnson 1996).

Unnamed Creek T24N,R20E,S10 (Thornberry Creek)

An unnamed tributary to Lancaster Creek, locally known as Thornberry Creek, has been impacted by the development of a new golf course. Fish surveys conducted in the early 1980's, found brook trout in the stream. Surveys have not been conducted since that time.This area was located in one of the headwater areas south of HWY 29/32 and west of CTH FF (Johnson 1996).

Trout Creek

Trout Creek is an 8-mile hard water stream that is a tributary to Duck Creek. Trout Creek is classified as a warm water sport fishery. Trout Creek drains 19.5 square miles of land, of which 74% is agricultural. The lower and mainstem reach have relatively steep topography, are well buffered by woodlands and have few nonpoint source impacts. The headwaters originate in areas with more gentle topography, poor buffering and significant nonpoint source impacts. Habitat evaluations conducted in 1995 ranked the creek from "poor" to "fair". HBI values taken at Western Drive indicated "good" water quality. Dissolved oxygen (D.O.) readings taken during the summer of 1995 showed significant diurnal D.O. swings with several violations of the 5 mg/l state standard. Water chemistry results from the spring of 1995 depicted very high amounts of suspended solids. The upper reaches of Trout Creek would greatly benefit from nonpoint source controls (Johnson 1996).

Map of the Watershed