Green Lake
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
White Creek, in the Big Green Lake Watershed, is a 1.11 mile river that falls in Green Lake County. This river is an outstanding/exceptional resource water under NR102 as well as a Class I Trout Water under the Fisheries Program. This river is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2022
Author Ashley Beranek
Impaired Waters
White Creek was evaluated for phosphorus and/or biology every two-year cycle from 2016 to 2022. Phosphorus levels were found to be too high during the 2020 cycle and this water was added to the Impaired Waters List.
Date 2022
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
Recommendations
Land Acquisition
The Green Lake Conservancy Foundation proposes to purchase 3.21 acres of land along Wick Road known as the Specht property for conservancy purposes.
Land Acquisition
The Green Lake Sanitary District proposes to purchase 12 acres of land along Big Green Lake known as the Mitchell's Glen parcel.
Fish Management, Access
This project will install two carp barriers at key locations tributary to Green Lake. Both areas to be protected are deep water marshes that flow through channel constrictions (bridges) into Green lake. These marsh areas have historically supported carp activity and recruitment. Each barrier will be constructed to allow boat passage yet prevent carp movement.
Best Management Practices, Implement
The Green Lake Sanitary District will implement best management practices (BMP) within the lake watershed to reduce nutrient/sediment loadings and protect and improve shoreline habitat. Earthen and cultural practices will include sediment retention basins, reduced tillage, buffers and nutrient management. These BMPs will be employed within subwatersheds identified as being priority areas for pollutant reduction.
Land Acquisition
The Green Lake Sanitary District proposes to purchase 30 acres of land along Silver Creek which drains directly into Big Green Lake to be used as nonpoint source abatement.
Rivers Management Grant
DNR, county and local partners should work to obtain funds or grants to restore the identified unstable stream banks to reduce sedimentation and erosion in the watershed .
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 |
|---|
| 146800 | Silver Creek | 10002700 | Big Green Lake | 7/1/1969 | 5/2/2022 | Map | Data |
| 146600 | White Creek | 243047 | White Creek At Mouth Of Green Lake | 10/16/1996 | 10/27/2020 | Map | Data |
| 146100 | Green Lake | 10002700 | Big Green Lake | 7/1/1969 | 5/2/2022 | Map | Data |
| 146600 | White Creek | 243059 | White Creek -At Spring Grove Rd Near Mouth Of Green Lake WI | 5/31/2011 | 6/17/2022 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
White Creek is located in the Big Green Lake watershed which is 107.31 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (54.10%), open (12%) and a mix of grassland (10.10%) and other uses (23.70%). This watershed has 141.08 stream miles, 655.29 lake acres and 5,102.67 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available 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.