Bayfield Peninsula Southeast Watershed (LS07)

Table of Streams of the Bayfield Peninsula Southeast Watershed (LS07)

This watershed includes the eastern half of Bayfield Peninsula and all except Sand Island among the Apostle Islands. All of the Apostle Islands except for Madeline Island are under the management of the National Park Service, which operates an office in Bayfield. The U.S. Forest Service manages a significant central core of the peninsula as part of the Chequamegon National Forest, and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa manage the Red Cliff Indian Reservation tipping Bayfield Peninsula. Other significant land holders in the watershed include Bayfield County forest lands.

This watershed sports the highly erodible red clay soils typical of the southern Lake Superior basin. Any land use that disturbs soil or soil cover can contribute to severe erosion. Best-management practices applied to forestry and agricultural uses are necessary in these soils. Additionally, silvicultural activities should be even more curtailed in riparian areas to prevent severe erosion.

Several streams draining Bayfield Peninsula have coastal wetlands at their mouths. Two sites in the Bayfield Peninsula Southeast watershed that drain to Chequamegon Bay, Pikes Creek and the Sioux River, are part of the South Shore Fish and Wildlife Area, a WDNR land acquisition project. The project was approved in 1992 with an acquisition goal of 8,690 acres. The project aims to maintain and enhance highly valuable coastal wetlands and watersheds supporting migratory trout and salmon species. These three rivers are threatened by degradation from land use practices.

Several communities discharge effluent directly to Lake Superior in this watershed. These include the city of Washburn, the Pikes Bay Sanitary District, the city of Bayfield and Madeline Island. Some 900 permit applications for 40 acre Chequamegon Bay bottom parcels have been made for the purpose of removing submerged, waterlogged wood that was lost during the region's intensive logging past. As of January, 1998, no permits had been issued or activity ongoing (Liebenstein). WDNR foresees few problems as long as logging does not disturb contaminated sediments (Liebenstein) and if enough logs remain behind to provide a substrate for the organisms upon which fish feed (Olivo).

The Lake Superior Binational Program identified several areas important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem. Most are discussed under individual narratives for streams. In Chequamegon Bay north of Washburn, whitefish spawn in the fall off the exposed scenic and rocky cliffs of Houghton Point. The area is deemed important for its fish and wildlife habitat and nursery grounds.

Table 19. WPDES-Permitted Discharges to the Bayfield Peninsula Southeast Watershed

Resources of Concern (LS07)

WDNR's Natural Heritage Inventory Database indicates that the following water-dependent endangered, threatened or special concern species and/or communities have been sighted in this watershed within the last 20 years. In addition, a coastal wetlands evaluation conducted in 1995 and 1996 identified a number of species and habitats described in a comprehensive report, Wisconsin's Lake Superior Coastal Wetlands Evaluation / Including Other Selected Natural Features of the Lake Superior Basin (Epstein 1997). This report is largely excerpted here.

Priority Wetland Sites

Bayview Beach - Sioux River Slough

The wetland complex at the Sioux River mouth includes emergent marsh and alder thicket communities. North of the river mouth is a narrow, mile-long, peaty swale between two parallel sandspits. Major swale communities are an acid coastal bog and wet coastal fen. The beach ridges are forested with white and red pine. Many rare plants and animals occur at the site. Use by migratory birds can be significant, especially in the spring. A large cliff swallow colony with about 100 active nests is present under the State Highway 13 bridge across the Sioux River.

The coastal bog is composed of Sphagnum mosses, heath-like shrubs and sedges, with scattered small tamarack, plus species such as speckled alder, royal fern and bog willow. Wetter portions of the swale support a mat of wooly sedge with buckbean, sweet gale and water horsetail. The emergent marsh at the Sioux River mouth consists of bur-reed, soft-stemmed bulrush, cattails, lake sedge and water arum.

Threats include the spread of giant reed gras and purple loosestrife, disruption of hydrology and water chemistry, over use by recreationists, and maintenance of activities on Highway 13. Planning by the various agencies and municipalities should provide for periodic monitoring of water quality and both rare and invasive plant species.

Big Bay

This large embayment on the east coast of Madeline Island contains a coastal barrier spit, beach and dunes, xeric pine forest, lagoon, and a diverse array of peatlands. The lagoon is bordered by coastal fen, coastal bog, shrub swamp and tamarack swamp. An abandoned sandspit now three-quarters of a mile inland from Lake Superior separates a much more acid complex of peatland types, including open bog, muskeg and black spruce swamp, from the more minetrophic types to the east--wetlands that receives all of its nutrients via groundwater, stream or overland flow.

The floating mat around the lagoon is composed of wooly sedge, coast sedge (one of only four known stations statewide), twig rush, sweet gale and buckbean. Away from the lagoon, the more firmly grounded mat consists of Sphagnum mosses, heath-like (ericaceous) shrubs, and a different complement of sedges. Small tamarack are present, and closer to the interior spit they form a nearly closed forest.

To the west of the interior spit, which supports a boreal conifer-hardwood forest, is an oddly patterned acid peatland. The interior is quite open, with deep, hummocky Sphagnum mosses, heaths, and a depauperate (stunted) flora representative of a truly ombrotrophic community--a bog in which all of the nutrients come from precipitation, and thus a very nutrient-poor waterbody. Among the few herbs present are sedges, cotton grass and round-leaved sundew. Stunted black spruce are abundant. To the east of the more open muskeg, there is a closed stand of mature black spruce. The sphagnum carpet is nearly level, and except where blowdowns have occurred, this stand was easy to traverse. Deep accumulations of sphagnum peat have apparently raised the surface of this bog enough to isolate it from the influence of the more alkaline, mineral-rich waters of either Lake Superior, the substrate underlying the peatland, or runoff from the uplands. Large tamarack ring the bog and spruce swamp, and a wet zone of alder, black ash and lake sedge occurs at the upland margins. This may be the only coastal wetlands where the fens adjoin a true ombrotrophic bog.

The coastal spit is mostly forested, with all three pine species native to Wisconsin present. A narrow but extensive strip of unvegetated beach, and a dune with marram grass and beach pea, borders the shoreline.

Breeding bird surveys yielded sightings for merlin, American bittern, northern harrier and LeConte's sparrow. The conifer swamp and muskeg supported, among many others, palm warbler, Lincoln's sparrow, red crossbill and yellow-bellied flycatcher.

This site is rich in rare and uncommon species and contains excellent examples of many natural communities. As it falls within Big Bay State Park, also a designated State Natural Area, the major tasks are to ensure that inappropriate used does not occur and to monitor periodically for invasive species. Most of the watershed is forested, but there are also scattered small farms and residences. Working with local landowners to maintain forest block size and dispersal corridors, and prevent damage from runoff, would be worthwhile.

Outer Island Sandspit And Lagoon

The attenuated southern tip of the remote, 8,000-acre Outer Island, part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, forms a long sandspit that encloses a large lagoon and wetlands. The spit features extensive unvegetated beach, lake dunes and a xeric pine forest. The open peatlands surrounding the lagoon are sedge-dominated to the south, more boggy to the north. Thickets of tall shrubs and small, scattered stands of conifers add structural diversity to the site's wetlands.

The sedge dominated mat around the southern end of the lagoon is composed primarily of woolly sedge, twig rush, beak-rushes, buckbean and sweet gale. To the north, the mat is boggier, becoming Sphagnum-dominated, with heath-like shrubs such as leatherleaf, bog rosemary and small cranberry, as well as few-seeded sedge, scheuchzeria and pitcher plant.

Of the terrestrial communities, the dunes are vegetated with marram grass, beach pea and sand cherry. The second-growth, maturing xeric forest has a canopy of red and white pines and paper birch. Jack pine occurs in a few locations but is uncommon. Balsam fir is present in gaps and scattered throughout the forest understory. The groundlayer includes bracken fern, bunchberry, cow-wheat, wintergreen, blueberry and club mosses.

At least five rare plant species have been documented here. Three rare birds have been observed during breeding season. The site hosts notable concentrations of migratory birds in the fall, especially among the passerines (songbirds) and raptors. Loons, grebes and cormorants congregate in the waters off of the spit, and there are frequent visits from southbound shorebirds. Gulls and terns commonly loaf on the tip of the spit. Outer Island has been designated a State Natural Area. There are no immediate threats to this site, but it should be monitored periodically for invasive species, changes in abundance of rare species and human use (currently light).

Red Cliff Reservation

The Reservation of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa occupies the northeastern margin of the Bayfield Peninsula. Surveys were not initiated until July, 1996, when a number of sites within the Reservation boundary were inventoried for natural communities and rare flora. As of the date of the report, the department was working with the Red Cliff Band on developing a data-sharing agreement. Until that agreement occurs, none of the new data will be catalogued. Data mentioned in the Resources of Concern that list sites that fall within the boundaries of the reservation existed in the Natural Heritage Inventory database prior to the coastal wetlands evaluation.

Among the outstanding features within the reservation boundary, several are especially important. These include two undisturbed wetland complexes containing coastal fen, coastal bog, northern sedge meadow, lagoon and dry pine forest. Each of these sites harbors a diverse flora with significant populations of rare plants. Though animals were not formally surveyed, incidental records of rare birds and butterflies were made.

Wave-sprayed sandstone cliffs and ledges are prominent characteristic features of the northern Bayfield Peninsula. Some of the most extensive and ecologically significant outcroppings occur within the reservation. These sites are inhabited by a number of rare plants, most of which are habitat specialists and do not grow in other habitats.

Also of regional significance are the mature stands of hemlock-hardwoods. Most stands have been severely altered due to repeated and intensive logging. Many stands have entirely lost their complement of native conifers, as well as their structural diversity. A number of uncommon and/or geographically restricted plants, several of them of Special Concern in Wisconsin, occur primarily in these mature stands, especially when associated with deep ravines. The Red Cliff Reservation and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore presently maintain the majority of the older hemlock-hardwoods forest remaining in the region. Such stands include species absent from this forest type in other regions, such as white spruce, white cedar, white pine, showy mountain ash and thimbleberry. Future analysis may indicate that the Lake Superior hemlock-hardwoods warrant recognition as distinct natural communities, or, at least, as important regional variants.

Stockton Island Tombolo

The tombolo--the sandspits connecting Presque Isle Point to mainland Stockton Island--is an exceptionally diverse and complex association of rare landforms and natural communities on the southeast end of the 10,000-acre island. Presque Isle Point was historically an island. Two sandspits joined it to the main body of the island, enclosing a large wetland and lagoon that are traversed by a series of narrow, parallel, sand ridges. The swales between the ridges support a variety of wetlands, including submergent aquatic, emergent aquatic, coastal fen, coastal bog, alder thicket and tamarack swamp.

Communities associated with the sandspits are beach, lake dune, Great Lakes barrens, dry boreal forest, northern dry-mesic forest and interdunal wetland. Several small streams drain the island's interior and reach Lake Superior via an outlet through the eastern sandspit into Julian Bay.

The fen mat is composed of woolly sedge, the very rare coast sedge, twig rush, beak-rushes, sweet gale and buckbean. A boggier mat of Sphagnum mosses, heath-like shrubs, sedges and scattered small tamarack occurs in the drier swales and along the upland margins of the wetland. An interdunal pond supports an unusual flora that includes shore rush, Robbins spikerush, twig rush and the carnivorous bladderworts. A large, isolated portion of the wetland in the northwestern section of the tombolo is quite acid, dominated by heath-like shrubs, especially leatherleaf, few-seeded sedge and beaked sedge. Speckled alder is locally common here.

Terrestrial communities in close association with the wetlands include extensive unvegetated sand beach and a lake dune system of marram grass and beach pea. The southeastern corner of the tombolo supports a small but excellent example of the very rare Great Lakes barrens community. Open-grown red and white pines are interspersed among patches of open heath, of blueberry, bearberry, false heather, grasses and lichen. Large colonies of moccasin flower grow under the pines. The forked sandspit bordering Presque Isle Bay on the west side of the tombolo is forested with mature pines. The canopy on the eastern fork is dominated by red pine, with a subcanopy of black spruce and balsam fir.

Common groundlayer species are bracken fern, trailing arbutus, wintergreen, cow-wheat, blueberries and huckleberry. Mosses and lichens form a significant ground cover, and several lichen species are abundant on the lower branches of the conifers. The other part of this spit supports a mixed mature forest of white and red pines, with less of the spruce-moss-lichen component that gave the boreal feel to the other stand.

Presque Isle Point is vegetated with a mature, mesic hemlock-hardwood forest, also with a distinct boreal flavor. The shoreline of the point is rocky, with frequent sandstone ledges and low cliffs. The main body of the island is forested, but much of it is still recovering from past catastrophic logging. The eastern coast is also rocky, with long expanses of substantial sandstone cliffs.

A very high concentration of rare species has been documented here, mostly plants and birds. Apart from the many rare species, the diversity, extent, and quality of the natural communities are reflected in the very high overall species diversity at this site.

The National Park Service maintains a dock, several buildings, and a small campground on the southwestern edge of the tombolo. Other than a few foot trails, these are the only developments at the site. The only problems to watch for at this time would be over use by visitors and the appearance of invasive species. Stockton Island Tombolo is a designated State Natural Area within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Recommendations

1. WDNR and regional fish management staff should collect resident forage fish in Boyd and Bono creeks for full-scan organic contaminant monitoring (Type B).
2. Regional basin management team staff should determine if there are impacts to Boyd and Bono creeks from the former duPont Powder Site, and determine the existing and potential stream condition (Type B).
3. WDNR sediment monitoring staff should conduct sediment sampling in the portions of Boyd Creek from the Section 22-23 line to the mouth and delta, Bono Creek from the middle of Section 13 to the mouth and delta, the unnamed intermittent tributary to Bono Creek in Section 13, the unnamed intermittent tributaries to Lake Superior entering in Sections 25 and 19 (T48N R5W), the two ponds, drainage ditch and related wetland, and Lake Superior offshore of these drainages to assess pH and evaluate for the presence of metals, nitrates, breakdown products of TNT and intermediate products, petroleum compounds and other organics (Type B).
4. WDNR sediment monitoring staff should consider including contaminated sediment ecological assessment when conducting sediment surveys in Boyd and Bono creeks and related drainages (Type B).
5. WDNR's drinking water/groundwater program should sample private wells downgradient from the former Barksdale explosive facility, with analysis for inorganics, organics and explosives residues (Type B).
6. E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company should provide to WDNR and the state Division of Health all documentation regarding site closure or cleanup activities conducted at the Barksdale works (Type C).
7. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams is updated, determine whether the Onion River tributary at T49N R4W S6 should be classified as trout water (Type B).
8. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams and NR 102 are amended, correct the location of the unnamed Class I trout stream and outstanding resource water tributary to the Onion River to T49N R4W S05 (Type B).
9. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams is updated, correct the location of the unnamed tributary to the Raspberry River from T51N R4W S11, to Section 2 (Type B).
10. 10. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams is updated, correct the location of the unnamed Class II tributary to the Sioux River from T49N R5W S32, to T48 N, R5W Section 4 NENE (type B).
11. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams is updated, correct the location of the unnamed Class III tributary to the Sioux River from T48N R5W S7 to Section 4 NESW (Type B).
12. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams is updated, correct the definition of the Class I portion of the North Fork of Whittlesey Creek as running from the road crossing in Section 20 downstream, not to Section 20 downstream (Type B).
13. Regional fish management staff should continue collecting coho and chinook salmon from the Sioux River and urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure analysis of the samples (Type B).
14. Regional basin management team staff should assess the current condition of Pikes and Thompson creeks and the Sioux River to evaluate pollutant impacts (Type B).
15. The Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge proposal should be implemented (Types B and C).

Apostle Islands

The Apostle Islands span more than 50,000 acres and comprise many miles of shoreline and numerous short, unnamed streams, tiny lakes and wetland areas on more than a dozen islands. A large portion of Wisconsin's Lake Superior shoreline lies within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, managed by the National Park Service. The Apostles include habitat identified by the Lake Superior Binational Program as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem. This habitat is described in better detail by the National Park Service. Fish species common through the Lake Superior waters around the Apostle Islands include lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco, round whitefish, lake herring and burbot that use the area for spawning. Other species found in Big Bay off Madeline Island, include lake sturgeon, brook, brown and rainbow trout, chinook, coho salmon, splake, walleye, mottled sculpin and ninespine stickleback.

Madeline Island is the only Apostle Island not included in the National Lakeshore. The Lake Superior Binational Program identified a number of critical habitat sites on Madeline Island. Most of the island is privately held and experiencing development pressure. The coastal wetlands evaluation also identified several priority wetland sites on the islands. See the discussion under Resources of Concern, above.

Big Bay State Park: Important features of this park include the coastal lagoon and wetlands complex, floating bog, sand beaches and unique plant communities. The park encompasses an extremely unique area: a coastal lagoon with extensive wetlands (Big Bay Lagoon). This large coastal wetland complex has submergent vegetation used by shorebirds, wading birds and waterfowl. The lagoon supports particularly high concentrations of northern pike, contains a floating bog and supports two state threatened species: the coast sedge and Michaux's sedge. A stretch of nearby shoreline includes a great blue heron rookery. Rock cliffs along the shore support the spike trisetum, a state threatened plant. Whitefish and northern pike spawn in the bay. This area is important for coastal wetlands, rare communities, rare habitat, habitat unique to the Great Lakes, threatened or endangered species habitat, habitat for migratory wildlife, and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds. Portions of Big Bay are identified as priority wetlands.

La Pointe Marina: The La Pointe marina lies within a coastal wetland area that has seen substantial development. Northern pike spawn in the shallows of the wetland complex adjacent to the marina. This land is privately owned and lies within the village of La Pointe. It is important for its coastal wetlands and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds.

Grants Point: This southwestern tip of Madeline Island has a three-acre coastal wetland and beach areas that are under private development pressure from condominiums. This area is important for coastal wetlands.

Bog Lake and Amnicon Point: Bog Lake lies at the northeast corner of Madeline Island, close to Amnicon Bay, which has an unprotected sandy beach on Lake Superior. The Bog Lake wetlands are a unique open water coastal wetland perched next to the shore. Off Amnicon Point to the east, lake herring, lake trout and lake whitefish spawn. Part of the Bog Lake wetland complex falls within the portion of the Bad River Indian Reservation on Madeline Island. This area is important for coastal wetlands, rare communities, rare habitat and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds.

Birch Run

This creek is classified as a Class I trout water and outstanding resource water. Historically, an adjacent landowner rerouted the stream course: it once ran into Pikes Creek before entering Lake Superior. Rerouting into a wildlife pond in 1966 decreased the upstream spawning movement of adult migratory trout and salmon, and native brook trout. While the stream has mostly returned to its original course, the adjacent wetland at its confluence with Pikes Creek has not fully recovered. A gravel-bottomed, concrete raceway is located at the headwaters of the stream, used by the Bayfield Hatchery as a rearing facility for more than 60 years. The fish hatchery constructed a dam downstream from the headwater for use as a rearing facility.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, two rare species of macroinvertebrates were found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997).

Bono Creek

This stream is considered a Class II trout fishery in its lower reaches. An intermittent feeder stream drains lands that were formerly the site of the E.I. du Pont de Nemours Barksdale Works, a 1,500-acre explosives plant. Areas of the site where sulfuric and nitric acid were used and burned, and the transport and possible storage of hazardous materials occurred near the headwaters of the intermittent drainage to Bono Creek. Many acres of the site continue to show unvegetated scarring. Several ponds on the site appear to have been one-time settling ponds. They connect by a water-filled ditch and wetland to drainage that may enter Bono Creek, Boyd Creek or unnamed streams that flow directly to Lake Superior. It is unclear whether contaminants still exist in these ponds, or whether any settled sludges have been removed. See the description of Boyd Creek for more information on this site.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrates were found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). The survey noted that potential pollutant sources include livestock, barnyards and cropland and impoundment may impede habitat quality. Data collected in 1996 near the Bjork Road crossing about one mile upstream from the mouth and near the former du Pont plant measured pH in the stream at 8.9, which is very alkaline and at a much higher level than other streams evaluated in this part of the Bayfield Peninsula. Methyl purple alkalinity at this site was measured at 243, which is considered hard. This, along with a conductivity of 438 may indicate some impact from the du Pont site.

Boyd Creek

Based on site photographs taken in June, 1995, this stream appears to sustain significant year-round flow. At one time, the lower reaches of the stream were stained a deep red from waste generated by E.I. du Pont de Nemours Company, a producer of military explosives. The waste included acid washings, sellite wastes or red waters, and cooling waters. The plant operated from 1904 to 1971. At the time of plant closure, no aquatic life existed in the stream. Since the Barksdale works discharge to this stream predated any environmental regulation or monitoring in the state, it is unclear what role this stream could serve in the Lake Superior ecosystem. Fisheries management surveys in the 1980s found brook trout and coho salmon in the stream; brown and rainbow trout could potentially be present (Pratt 1996). Similar streams to the north and south support significant runs of migratory fish.

Aerial photos show a broad delta and partially strangled stream course at the mouth of Boyd Creek. There are some odd clear areas in the vegetation and apparent discoloration or thinness within proximity to the stream. Portions of the streambank are bare and appear blasted, with denuded soil. The entire roughly 1,500-acre plant site, covering sections 23, 24 and half of 25 and 26 are held now by one owner, Bretting Manufacturing of Ashland, which uses some parts of the property for a private game farm for pheasants, partridge and wild turkey for release on the property. A few areas of the former site are planted with hay. Most has been allowed to go wild.

Du Pont opened the Barksdale plant in 1904 to produce dynamite. The plant was the world's largest producer of trinitrotoluene (TNT) during World War I, producing 130 million pounds of explosives between 1913 and 1918 (Nehls-Lowe 1995). The plant supported a workforce of 6,000, with 2,000 workers living in barracks on the property and 1,000 commuting by train daily from Washburn (Nehls-Lowe 1995). While production declined during the inter-war years, the plant again geared up during World War II, producing some 226 million pounds of TNT (Nehls-Lowe 1995). Post-war until 1971, the plant reduced production to serve blasting needs for mining, and in later years manufactured synthetic diamonds and performed metal cladding (Nehls-Lowe 1995).

Chemical wastes generated in the production of explosives, and their breakdown products, include sulfuric acid, sulfites, nitric acid, ammonium nitrates, nitrates and nitrites, soda ash, toluene, nitroazoxytoluenes, nitroanilines, nitrobenzenes, nitrotoluene and dinitrotoluene (DNT) and TNT. It is unknown if other chemicals, solvents or manufacturing byproducts were stored or disposed of on the site.

When the plant closed in 1971, most of the buildings were razed, though there remain extensive bunkers, platforms, and other constructed areas. A former employee reported that he personally oversaw destruction of the buildings and incineration of soils suspected of being contaminated with explosives. Neither WDNR nor the Division of Health have documentation of these closure activities or evidence of sampling to confirm this cleanup (Nehls-Lowe 1995, Parkinson).

Boyd Creek bisects the property. During the operation of the plant, red water waste was discharged to a drainage ditch on the property (Nehls-Lowe 1995), and a WDNR assessment in 1970 described Boyd Creek as devoid of life and a deep red from wastes. According to correspondence files with du Pont, all waste streams from the nitric and sulfuric acid areas--comprised of cooling water and spilled sulfur, wash from the production of nitroglycerine and red water from washing crude TNT--were channeled into Boyd Creek (Parkinson, 2/14/96). The creek also was the site of a dynamite line. It is uncertain what occurred on the dynamite line. A 1995 site visit found overgrown platforms exist over the streambanks, underneath which are dark, non-native soils that don't appear to support plant growth typical of surrounding soils (Parkinson 3/27).

Concerns raised by a citizen in 1980 led to WDNR investigating a complaint of unvegetated areas, the presence of yellow material on the ground, drums and canisters sitting in areas of oily, standing water and a yellowish-orange effluent in a drainage pipe that ultimately emptied into Boyd Creek (Nehls-Lowe 1995). WDNR collected seven surface soil samples, four surface water samples and two groundwater samples. Groundwater was reviewed for pH and inorganic constituents only, not for organic compounds or the residues of explosives. Two surface soil samples had elevated levels of explosive residues and two others were acidic. Two of the surface water samples taken from the drainage ditch had elevated levels of sulfates and a pH between 3.5 and 4.3; Boyd Creek sediments were not sampled. WDNR recommended that the company neutralize areas found to be acidic, remove the drainage pipe and acidic effluent, remove waste materials and empty drums disposed of along Boyd Creek, and conduct further sampling at areas found to have elevated residues. In a letter from du Pont dated August 4, 1983, the company said it had neutralized the nitric acid area and seeded it; removed the culvert pipe east of the nitric acid production area; regraded the ditch to form a swale, neutralized it and seeded it; removed the empty barrels from the edge of the creek, crushed them and buried them east of the old barrel dump and regraded and seeded the bank; removed barrels from within Boyd Creek, crushed and deposited them in a barrel landfill on site and capped them with one foot of clay; collected three soil samples to find no contamination and sealed two drinking water wells.

It is clear only a portion of the site has been sampled for residual contamination and should not be taken as a representation of the remainder of the site; in addition, the analysis performed on the samples was limited, with only two samples actually tested for TNT and the burn area not analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Parkinson 2/14/96). The former employee who oversaw cleanup did not know if a report had been written up by du Pont to document the results of followup sampling. Even if a report can be produced that shows a complete property inspection was conducted by du Pont, it is advisable to conduct additional sampling of groundwater, sediments and soils to determine whether residual contamination exists (Parkinson 2/14/96). If such a report exists, it likely would help pinpoint areas requiring additional sampling or study.

It remains unknown whether any contamination remains. The residues of TNT and DNT, while biodegradable when exposed, may remain a threat when buried in sediments, soils or in groundwater or may not break down in highly acidic environments. We have no information indicating whether private wells in the area have ever been thoroughly tested, or if such testing included substances such as solvents or heavy metals. Well logs from the area indicated red clay depths to 30 feet along the Superior shoreline, and to 120 feet at the Bretting Manufacturing well on-site. According to WDNR site notes, while the likelihood of contaminants reaching the sandstone aquifer at the depth of 250 feet through 120 feet of clay and 130 feet of soft hardpan is unlikely, the site underwent almost 70 years of explosive detonations which may have caused compaction or fracturing (Parkinson 2/14/96).

These substances do not substantially bioaccumulate in the tissues of plants or animals. It is unclear whether any residual contamination might affect wild or raised animals on the site or on people who eat them (Parkinson, 2/14/96). A site visit shows remnants of overhead piping used for acids. The piping was at one time run underground, but it isn't clear if this piping was removed and the soils examined (Parkinson 3/27/96).

Solid wastes such as garbage, sweepings, refuse and manufacturing wastes were burned on site. Since the company disposed of all wastes from the plant on the property via burial, burning or runoff, it is unclear if any other materials may be present, or if any interactions between materials occurs. At duPont's Pompton Lakes Works in Pompton Lakes, NJ, residents charged that the now-closed ammunitions plant that operated for more than 100 years before closing in the mid 1990s, caused well and other contamination from toxic industrial waste, including heavy metals and solvents, by burning it in open pits or dumping it into a stream (Associated Press). The company settled the suit for $38.5 million, but denies responsibility for any of the human health injuries claimed by residents (Associated Press), saying it settled to avoid ongoing litigation (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

It is unknown what the condition is of ponds visible in aerial photographs, or what original purpose they served. These ponds appear to be hydrologically connected to wetlands and ditches that may have groundwater or surface water interaction with Lake Superior (Trochlell). Aerial photographs taken when the plant was operating show some ponds existed as early as 1938 that may have been used as settling ponds.

A rail line was used during World War II to transport employees and products. It is unknown where the rail loading area was or if any spills occurred in that area (Parkinson 2/14/96).

The site is under review by the WDNR's contaminated sediment management team. Contact with du Pont to request additional information groundwater, soils, and sediment is under way; data will be reviewed to determine if further assessment is necessary, likely sometime in 1999 (Liebenstein).

Brickyard Creek

This small, cold water brook trout stream flows into Lake Superior. The stream has limited flow and a steep gradient. The stream bottom consists primarily of sand and boulders. During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrates were found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). Streambank erosion and urban runoff are potential pollution threats.

Chicago Creek

This small, cold water spring stream flows into Lake Superior. A small spring provides perennial flow a few hundred feet east of State Highway 13. Upstream drainage tends to be intermittent. During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, one rare species of macroinvertebrate was found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). Urban runoff is a potential pollution threat.

Fourmile Creek

This Class I trout stream is an outstanding resource water. Originating within the Chequamegon National Forest, the stream empties into the Sioux River, providing a good spawning area for trout from the Sioux River. Fourmile Creek supports brook, brown and rainbow trout and provides spawning areas for several migratory trout and salmon species from Lake Superior. This creek has good in-stream cover, with undercut banks and pools. It drains a large area of forest lands periodically subjected to clearcutting and logging traffic.

Frog Creek

This small stream forms a small coastal wetland estuary complex where it enters Frog Bay on Lake Superior in the Red Cliff Indian Reservation. The bay occurs between Raspberry Point and Red Cliff Point. The Lake Superior Binational Program identified Frog Bay as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands. The shoreline area is within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Little Sioux River

This stream flows some eight miles to its confluence with the Sioux River. This Class I trout stream is an outstanding resource water, supporting brook trout and migratory species from Lake Superior and a trout nursery area. The spring-fed headwaters maintain a temperature averaging 48 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. As the water warms downstream, trout species other than brook become more abundant. The stream drains mostly sandy soils and some areas of red clay. In the past, beaver caused extreme siltation in flowage areas. The stream drains a large area comprised of mixed hardwoods and conifers periodically subjected to clearcutting and logging traffic, which may contribute sediment to the stream.

This stream was used as a sampling site to study the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in surface waters. This near pristine stream yielded the highest concentration of Giardia in samples taken from streams in the basin in late September. The watershed has a concentration of about 26 white-tailed deer per square mile in summer and 20 in winter. In addition, small numbers of black bear use the watershed, as do beaver and migratory waterfowl. As summer progressed, the number of suspended solids in the stream increased substantially. The fecal coliform count on one occasion reached 200 per 100 milliliters; this exceeds the standard for bacteria for recreational contact.

Onion River

The Onion River is a high-quality, spring-fed trout stream that flows into Lake Superior at a small coastal estuary connected to the Sioux River wetland complex. Wetlands fringe the lower reaches of the river, an area primarily privately owned. This stream supports a Class I trout fishery and is classified as an outstanding resource water. A number of spawning trout and salmon species use the river, including brook, brown and rainbow trout, and pink and coho salmon. The Lake Superior Binational Program has identified this river and its estuary as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands, vital functions for planning objectives, and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds. The Bayfield County 10-year Forest Management Plan places about half of the watershed, about 1,840 acres, in a wild area category, thereby making the primary management concern that of maintaining the river's water quality (Swanson). The plan identifies the risk of excessive timber harvest and road development in erodible soils causing degradation of stream habitat as the primary reason for protecting the area (Fenner).

Surface Waters of Bayfield County indicates that two feeder streams to the Onion River are trout waters. One is discussed below, the other collects a number of small feeders before entering the Onion River from the west at T49N R4W S06. This latter stream, which the document describes as providing the bulk of the Onion River's flow at this point, is not listed as a trout stream in Wisconsin Trout Streams. NR102 indicates all Class I tributaries to the Onion River should be considered outstanding resource waters. Both of the sources of information for the Onion River tributaries are outdated.

Unnamed Tributary to the Onion River T49N R4W S05

This stream is listed in Wisconsin Trout Streams incorrectly as entering the Onion River in Section 31 T50N R4W. This is actually the location of the stream's spring-fed headwaters. This stream is a Class I trout stream that supports lake runs of migratory trout and salmon and is classified as an outstanding resource water.

Pikes Creek

This medium-sized Class I trout stream is an outstanding resource water for its entire length. The stream drains about 30 square miles, dropping some 400 feet before entering Lake Superior. This results in massive erosion problems with historic cases of devastating flash floods. Streambank improvements performed by the Bureau of Fisheries Management have helped enhance spawning habitat for migratory trout and salmon species including rainbow trout, coho and chinook salmon. This stream supports a population of brook, brown and rainbow trout and trout and salmon species from Lake Superior migrate upstream to spawn. The stream's major tributary is North Pikes Creek, but the majority of Pikes Creek baseflow comes from bank springs. WDNR's Bayfield Fish Hatchery discharges well and lake water from the hatchery into Pikes Creek via a small tributary.

Most of the Pikes Creek watershed is upland forest that may periodically be subjected to clearcutting and logging traffic. Some reaches drain heavy red clay soils, while the rest of the stream drains sandy loam soils. Some areas of the watershed are managed as apple orchards. Where Pikes Creek enters Lake Superior, a wetland community supports both emergent and submergent aquatic plants. Offshore in Chequamegon Bay, a large open-water submergent aquatic plant community exists. The area also has sheltered vegetated sand and mud flats. The stream and its estuary provide nesting areas for waterfowl and are used by migratory birds. Lake Superior Village is a marina operating just north of the mouth of Pikes Creek in an area of sheltered flats and vegetation. Both state and private ownership exist along Pikes Creek, but the stream flows through a corridor of land that is largely state owned. This stream is part of the South Shore Fish and Wildlife Area, where there is a state acquisition goal of 1,128 acres.

The mouths of Pikes Creek and Pikes Creek Slough have been identified by the Lake Superior Binational Program as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands, vital functions for planning objectives, fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, one rare species of macroinvertebrate was found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). Significant bank erosion, point sources and silt affect habitat quality in the stream and impoundment may pose a threat (Epstein 1997).

Unnamed Tributary to Pikes Bay

An unnamed dry run tributary to Pikes Bay is proposed for addition to NR104 as supporting limited aquatic life from the Pikes Bay Sanitary District outfall in T50N R4W S22 SESE to the outlet. The wastewater treatment plant was formerly known as the Pureair wastewater treatment plant.

North Pikes Creek

This small feeder stream to Pikes Creek begins in springs and wetlands, and the stream's most significant tributary drains Sultz Swamp (see discussion of Sultz Swamp under Resources of Concern in the Bayfield Peninsula West (LS06)). The entire creek is considered a Class I trout fishery and outstanding resource water. Many of the resident fish are the offspring of lake run trout and salmon. A muck and clay bottom is found near the headwaters of North Pikes Creek, with rubble and various-sized boulders becoming more common downstream. Most of the bank cover is a mixture of alder, hazel and hardwoods, and a variety of conifers. Some stretches of the stream have had a history of damage caused by streambank pasturing and animal waste runoff. Other activities in the watershed include orchards, gravel pits and some forestry.

Raspberry River

This river drains mostly sandy, red clay soils that are subject to severe erosion during periods of high runoff. This results in much of the upper stream channel filling in and becoming cluttered with debris. Much of the watershed is forested, with some agricultural lands. The lower reaches of the river pass through the Red Cliff Indian Reservation, with other portions of the watershed in county forest or private ownership. Areas of the watershed are subject to clearcutting and logging traffic.

The river drains into Raspberry Bay on Lake Superior, which has a sand, gravel and rock shoreline. Wetlands line the last mile of the Raspberry River. This last mile is considered Class II trout waters and contains important fish habitat, especially for brown trout, and is used by spawning rainbow trout. The Lake Superior Binational Program has identified this area as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds. The shoreline area is part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrates were found and overall taxa richness was low (0-4 species) (Epstein 1997). Streambank erosion and low flows were significant contributors to impaired habitat quality and turbidity is present.

Unnamed Tributary to the Raspberry River

This Class III brook trout stream is identified in Wisconsin Trout Streams as being located at T51N R4W S11. It actually arises in Section 11 and flows into the Raspberry River in Section 2, providing significant flow that allows the last mile of the Raspberry River to attain Class II trout water status.

Red Cliff Creek

This small stream flows east into Red Cliff Bay. While this stream's base flow indicates that at times it becomes intermittent and that it probably supports only a warm water forage fishery, an occasional trout has been seen migrating in from Lake Superior. The mouth of Red Cliff Creek forms a coastal estuary with extensive wetlands. A marina and boat ramp have been constructed in the bay. The watershed falls within the boundaries of the Red Cliff Indian Reservation, with some private and state ownership on Red Cliff Bay. This portion of Lake Superior shoreline is part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The Lake Superior Binational Program identified Red Cliff Bay as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrates were found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). Streambank erosion and silt are significant contributors to impaired habitat quality at the survey site.

Sioux River

This high quality trout water arises from springs near the Chequamegon National Forest and flows some 17 miles to empty into Lake Superior in the Sioux River Slough north of Washburn. The entire river is an outstanding resource water and several high quality trout streams are tributary to it. The river is a Class II trout fishery for roughly half of its length, and a Class I fishery from County Highway C west. Runs of rainbow and brown trout and coho salmon occur and brook and brown trout are resident in the stream. Past water quality evaluations indicated clear and cool waters upstream, with downstream areas carrying a light load of suspended clay particles. The river and its wetlands provide excellent habitat for nesting and migratory waterfowl and furbearers. One interesting feature of this river is Big Rock Hole, where a deep hole has been delved below a wide flat layer of bedrock. During low flow, this steep layer of bedrock above Big Rock Hole can be a temporary obstacle to migratory trout. Bayfield County maintains a wayside park with camping facilities at Big Rock. WDNR has, through permanent easements, set up public fishing grounds along about three-quarters of a mile of the Sioux River. The Sioux River falls within the South Shore Fish and Wildlife Area. The mouth and estuary are in state ownership, while the river flows through a combination of state and privately held lands. The watershed supports agriculture and forestry among its activities.

The Sioux River enters Lake Superior through extensive wetlands. The area also has a beach and sandstone cliffs that support unique plants. The wetland estuary complex also features a shoreline bog. The estuary connects with that of the Onion River to the north. The Lake Superior Binational Program identified this area as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands, rare communities, vital functions for planning objectives and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds.

The exotic purple loosestrife, an escaped garden perennial, has been a problem in the sloughs at the mouth of the river. Loosestrife can alter the natural wetland water flow and vegetation that wildlife rely on. WDNR Fisheries Management applied a pesticide that was fairly successful. Due to staff and funding shortages, additional WDNR work is not anticipated, but the project may be turned over to The Nature Conservancy (Swanson).

The Sioux River was identified by the Lake Superior Coastal Wetland Evaluation (Epstein 1997) as an aquatic priority site. The fauna was diverse, with 35 taxa present, four of which are rare. Caddisflies, mayflies and beetles were dominants. Management concerns noted included turbidity, low flow, filamentous algae and silt.

Unnamed Tributaries to the Sioux River

Two unnamed tributaries to the Sioux River are classified as trout streams. One is considered an outstanding resource water. It supports a Class II trout fishery, flowing some three miles south from its headwaters in Section 32 T49N R5W. This stream enters the Sioux River in Section 4 in the NENE corner of the section. It supports a resident population of brook and rainbow trout as well as migratory runs from Lake Superior. Wisconsin Trout Streams incorrectly identifies this stream as entering the Sioux River in Section 32 T49N R5W, when it actually meets the Sioux River in Section 4 T48N R5W.

The other tributary is a Class III trout stream for brook and rainbow trout, with some migratory species from Lake Superior. The stunted nature of the fish may be due to a lack of in-stream food sources. This stream originates from wetlands on the southeast end of Long Lake. A six-foot rock water control structure creates a small impoundment in Section 7. Wisconsin Trout Streams has incorrectly identified this stream as entering the Sioux River at T48N R5W S7, which is the headwaters of the stream. It enters the Sioux River in Section 4, NESW.

Thompson Creek (Vanderventer)

This cold water stream is classified as supporting a Class I brook, brown and rainbow trout fishery, and runs of migratory trout and salmon species from Lake Superior. The stream is listed as an outstanding resource water. The stream has deep pools and undercut banks, with a gravel sand and clay bottom. It empties into Vanderventer Bay on Washburn's southern edge.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrates were found and overall taxa richness was low (0-4 species) (Epstein 1997). Streambank erosion, silt and low flows are significant contributors to impaired habitat quality at the survey site, and livestock, barnyards and cropland are sources of pollutants with potential to affect the stream.

Whittlesey Creek

Whittlesey Creek originates at two spring-fed streamlets from the sandy upper portion of the watershed that during normal flow conditions are internally drained and do not provide a continuous flow downstream. Just over a mile above the creek's confluence with its main tributary, North Fork Whittlesey Creek, numerous springs form a perennial stream. The stream has a fairly steep gradient in parts of the watershed, flowing through a band of highly erodible red clay soils before emptying into Chequamegon Bay. The stream has an estimated low flow of nine cubic feet per second. Its highest recorded flow was 152 cfs, with an apparent summer average between 13 and 30 cfs. The watershed is lightly populated and lightly farmed, almost half of the watershed forested. The lower four or so miles of stream, from the confluence from North Fork Whittlesey Creek to the mouth, are considered Class I trout waters (WDNR appraisal report). Two small feeders join the creek, which also support spawning trout and salmon species. At the mouth, a small stream known as Maryannes Creek or Little Whittlesey Creek, which historically joined Whittlesey Creek near the mouth, was dredged in the past to make it a separate stream discharge. The two channels now pass within thirty feet of one another. In 1993, beaver activity caused a portion of Whittlesey Creek's flow to divert to the Little Whittlesey. Some migratory Lake Superior species have been surveyed in Little Whittlesey Creek.

The stream is an important spawning and rearing stream for migratory fish, accounting for as much as 35 percent of the coho salmon spawning in Wisconsin waters. The creek's drainage area includes a portion of the Chequamegon National Forest that was recently clear cut, then drops through severely eroded red clay valleys interspersed with horse farms, orchards and open fields. Historically, the red clay soils of this geologically young watershed were anchored by white pine forest cover. This forest cover was completely removed by the early part of the century. Aspen and pastureland took the place of the protective conifers. In the 1950s and 1960s, a restoration project to stabilize banks resulted in willow plantings that have begun to die as they reach maturity. As the willows fall, they again destabilize the banks. Interspersed with the red clay soils eroding into the stream are sands that become deposited in the riverbed, rather than carried out into the bay with the clay.

Coastal wetlands fringe the mouth of the creek, as well as the area along the lakeshore. Offshore in Chequamegon Bay, emergent vegetation exists, including bulrushes. An aquatic restoration project is under study for Chequamegon Bay as a result of past practices that greatly reduced aquatic vegetation. A two-year project began in 1993 to evaluate whether vegetation could be reestablished in the bay and to develop and demonstrate procedures and techniques. Based on preliminary results of the study, WDNR has applied for funding for an aquatic plant restoration project.

The mouth of Whittlesey Creek is in private ownership. The Lake Superior Binational Program identified this area as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands, vital functions for planning objectives and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds. This coastal wetland area is being invaded by the exotic purple loosestrife, an escaped garden perennial that can harm wetland ecology.

Erosion has remained a problem, often closing off the mouth of the stream to such a point trout and salmon can't enter the creek to spawn. Also, the silt and sand can cause turbidity in the water, or batter the young fry in the stream. In 1991, this stream was selected as a small-scale priority watershed project. The planning phase of this project is underway. Landowner participation is necessary for the project to be completed. That participation is usually in the form of cost-shared installation of best-management practices to protect water quality. This project is fairly unusual since their are no major sources of conventional, agricultural or urban runoff pollutants. Projects planned for the watershed include bank stabilization, clearing of the channel and potentially reintroducing conifers to the watershed. There have been discussions about the application of best-management practices for forestry activities (Holiday 1995).

The primary objective for control of polluted runoff is to maintain and improve the value of the Whittlesey Creek watershed for the natural reproduction of trout and salmon species that migrate from Lake Superior. The primary inhibitor is poor habitat resulting from flashy flows, erosion and the deposition of sand in the streambed (WDNR appraisal report).

Aquatic insect sampling conducted in the stream found insects in the lower reaches on snags and vegetation, but the shifting sand bottom, and some areas where the stream became strangled, may indicate temporary problems associated with low dissolved oxygen and organic nutrients (WDNR appraisal report).

Concerns were raised in 1997 over development of a golf course in the town of Barksdale at the juncture of highways 2 and 13. Site evaluations had determined that the 195-acre site in the Whittlesey Creek watershed included 86 acres of coastal wetlands.

For more information on the priority watershed project, consult A Nonpoint Source Control Plan for the Whittlesey Creek Priority Watershed Project, publication number WR-474-96.

North Fork Whittlesey Creek

The North Fork of Whittlesey Creek begins as sluggish swamp drainage at the boundary of the Chequamegon National Forest. The creek flows through a low swampy area before the gradient increases, carving a streambed that is severely eroded, with steep banks that rise as high as one hundred feet. The raw, red clay banks are extremely unstable and subject to slumping. This stream supports a Class I trout fishery and migratory runs of trout and salmon species from its confluence with Whittlesey Creek upstream about two miles to the road crossing in Section 20. Upstream from the road crossing, the stream supports a Class II trout fishery. The headwaters area drains a region that was recently clearcut, then passes through agricultural areas and pasture land before reaching Whittlesey Creek. This stream is a part of the Whittlesey Creek Small-Scale Priority Watershed Project.

Wisconsin Trout Streams lists the Class I portion of the creek as running from the road crossing to Section 20 downstream. It should read the road crossing in Section 20 downstream.