River and Stream Narratives of the Upper Chippewa Basin

Below are narrative descriptions for waters for which we have a description on file. Not all waters in the basin are listed below.

Byhre Creek, 1996

Byhre Creek, a warm water forage flsh type stream experiences low flows. A buffalo ranch and dairy farm operate near the Creek. A private dam that was permitted in the 1970s will eventually impound 20-40 acres of water. This creek is also within the Chequamegon National Forest.

Foulds Creek

Foulds Creek begins at a spring pond dredged to improve trout habitat. It flows into Pike Lake, all within the Chequamegon National Forest.

Hay Creek

Hay Creek beglns in Iron County and flows south to the Flambeau River. It flows through mostly state and federal land. Although listed as Class I1 trout waters, it is mostly a warm water stream and is not managed for trout. The only indication of potential problems is septage spreading on a field within 100 yards of the stream in 1982. This occurred downstream of where the East Fork joins Hay Creek.

Murray Creek, 1996

Murray Creek lies outside of the Chequamegon Forest and flows past Meld. Some old farms exist in the vicinity and the abandoned town of Eisenstein dump lies next to the Creek.

South Fork Flambeau River, 1996

The South Fork Flambeau River originates at the outlet of Round Lake in eastern Price County. Round Lake's watershed includes western Vilas and Oneida counties and runsthrough the Chequamegon National Forest. Several low-head dams form impoundmentsused largely for recreation on tributaries in the South Fork watershed. The South Fork joins the North Fork in the Flambeau River State Forest in southeastern Sawyer County. Wastewater discharge from the Flambeau State Prison Camp flows to the South Fork via Hackett Creek and a wetland. The entire South Fork of the Flambeau River is designated as an outstanding resource water under state antidegradation. Larson, Nancy and Lisa Kosmond (Helmuth). 1996. Upper Chippewa River Basin Water Quality Management Plan. PUBL-WR-345-96-REV. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

The lower South Fork of the Flambeau River supports a warm water sports fishery and is stocked with muskellunge and bass. We have no recent water quality information on this stretch of the River. This segment of the Flambeau is very diverse in terms of endangered resources. It contains the best known population of the extra-striped snaketail dragonfly (Wisconsin Endangered) in the Midwest. It is a Bureau of Endangered Resources priority to achieve a protected corridor from the Chequamegon National Forest down to the Flambeau State Forest. It would be beneficial to aquatic species to have a forested river corridor connecting two large public forests across the area of largely private ownership. Protection of water quality and habitat is very important in this river segment.

Springstead Creek, 1996

This stream begins in Springstead Lake in Iron County. The lake is somewhat developed. Springstead Creek itself flows through mostly wild land, joining the South Fork of the Flambeau a few miles downstream of Round Lake.

Threemile Creek, 1996 Update

Threemile Creek drains from a cranberry marsh near Fifleld. Two private ponds which have heavy algal blooms also drain to the creek.