Fish and Aquatic Life
Crooked Creek is a Class I trout stream for about 5.4 of its seven miles. Because it is
considered Class I, it is also listed as an exceptional resource water (ERW). Water quality is
generally very good. The creek has been ranked as a high priority for nonpoint source
pollution reduction. Barnyard runoff in the upper reaches has caused water quality problems.
Other barnyards and feedlots in the stream's drainage area may also be problematic. Grazing
and cattle access to the stream may be causing some problems locally. One industrial facility
discharges treated wastewater to Crooked Creek.
From: Ripp, Coreen, Koperski, Cindy and Folstad, Jason. 2002. The State of the Lower Wisconsin River Basin.
PUBL WT-559-2002. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.
Author Cynthia Koperski
Crooked Creek is a Class I trout stream for about 5.4 of its seven miles. Because it is considered Class I, it is also listed as an exceptional resource water (ERW). Water quality is generally very good. The creek has been ranked as a high priority for nonpoint source pollution reduction. Barnyard runoff in the upper reaches has caused water quality problems. Other barnyards and feedlots in the stream's drainage area may also be problematic. Grazing and cattle access to the stream may be causing some problems locally. One industrial facility discharges treated wastewater to Crooked Creek.
Author Aquatic Biologist
Crooked Creek is a Class I trout stream (WDNR 1980~) for about 5.4 of its seven miles.
Because it is considered Class I, it is also listed as exceptional resource waters. Water
quality is generally very good based on 1988 Hilsenhoff Biotic Index data (WDNR
1991~~). Crooked Creek has had a couple of barnyard runoff problems in its upper
reaches (Kerr, WDNR 1991 11-29). One of these appears to have been cleaned up as a
result of an enforcement action under NR 243 Wis. Adm. Codes (WDNR, Norton 1991-
199229*32). Other barnyards and feedlots in the stream's drainage area may also be
causing problems (Kerr, Schlesser 199 1 1,22). Grazing and cattle access to the stream
may be causing some problems locally (Kerr, Schlesser, WDNR 199111922.28).
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
From: Smith, Tom D., and Ball, Joseph R., Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Grant County, Department of Natural Resources, 1972.Surface Area = 5.82 acres, Length = 6.0 miles, Gradient = 20 ft./mile, Flow = 6.6 c.f.s.
A spring-fed stream beginning in north central Grant County and flowing in a southwesterly direction to enter the Wisconsin River west of Boscobel. This watershed has experienced some severe floods throughout its recent history. Stream straightening due to highway construction and needs of individual land owners dating as far back as 1912 has deteriorated stream habitat. The chief limiting factors of the stream at the present time are lack of consistent bank cover and eroded banks. Stream improvements have been initiated by the Department of Natural Resources. Boom covers have been installed to improve stream habitat and some riprapping has reduced stream bank erosion. Four and one-half miles of this stream are considered trout water. Brown and rainbow trout are common with brook trout being present in the upper reaches. Forage fish are common. Highway 61 follows the stream. This easy accessibility and nearness to Boscobel cause the stream
to receive heavy fishing pressure in comparison to other nearby streams. A milk processing plant located on the lower reaches is a potential pollution source. Due to a poor cost-benefit ratio a proposed P.L. 566 Watershed Project was scrapped; therefore erosion will continue to be a problem throughout the watershed.
Game assets include muskrats, an occasional puddle duck, and most upland species. Five bridge crossings, the Wisconsin River, and 1.2 miles of trout stream easement provide public access. Ten rural dwellings are
located along the stream.
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Crooked Creek (WBIC 1205600) from Hwy 133 to headwaters was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus and biological (macroinvertebrate and fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.
Author Ashley Beranek
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 2016 . See also 'monitoring' and 'projects'.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Landowner found logger on bank after flood event, and he reinstalled it in the stream in late august, so I think we should delete the temperature data in SWIMS for 2015.
AU: 13224; Station ID: 10030032
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 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
|WBIC||Official Waterbody Name||Station ID||Station Name||Earliest Fieldwork Date||Latest Fieldwork Date||View Station||View Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10022593||Crooked Creek Hwy 61 50 M Upstream||1/1/2015||1/1/2015||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||223346||Crooked Creek at Townhill Rd Near Boscobel WI||6/20/2001||7/2/2015||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10022821||Crooked Cr. Upstream Of Bridge On Town Hall Rd||1/1/2015||1/1/2015||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10039070||Crocked Creek near Old Hwy 61||11/10/2012||10/19/2015||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10030032||Crooked Creek downstream of State Highway 61||6/24/2009||9/27/2017||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10033905||Crooked Creek at confluence with unnamed stream wbic 5035641||1/1/2015||1/1/2015||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10013174||Crooked Creek Baseline Coldwater (Betw. Old 61 & Chestnut St)||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10030254||Crooked Creek St. 1B||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10032690||Crooked Creek at Hwy 133||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10037917||Crooked Creek (Mossholder Property)||Map||Data|
|1205600||Crooked Creek||10047005||Crooked Cr. ~ 2707ft US of HWY 133||1/1/2015||1/1/2015||Map||Data|
Crooked Creek is located in the Green River and Crooked Creek watershed which is 125.71 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (45%), agricultural (41%) and a mix of suburban (6%) and other uses (8%). This watershed has 278.95 stream miles, 257.04 lake acres and 4,127.32 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High 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.