Potato River Watershed (LS11)

Table of Streams of the Potato River Watershed (LS11)

This watershed includes all streams flowing to the Potato River, which crosses Iron and Ashland counties. The Gogebic Range, a steep ridge of high hills, has given the region a history of mining for iron ore, and also popularity as a recreation destination. One of the largest employers in Iron County is Whitecap Mountain, which operates a ski area in the Alder Creek sub-watershed. The Potato River Watershed is largely forested, most of it managed for commercial production. This watershed also contains a number of gravel pits and skirts a region that for many years was one of the largest copper and iron mining areas in the world. The Ashland County portion of the basin falls entirely within the Bad River Indian Reservation.

Table 26. WPDES-Permitted Discharges to the Potato River Watershed

Resources of Concern (LS11)

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.

Note: The lack of rare elements listed here does not signify a lack of rare elements in the watershed. They have merely gone unreported.

Recommendations

1. Regional basin management team staff should conduct a site visit at the Alder Creek discharge from Anderson Sanitary District (Type B).
2. Regional basin management team staff should locate the discharge to Alder Creek using a GPS unit (Type B).
3. Regional basin management team staff should conduct water quality sampling on Vaughn Creek near the Saxon outfall and downstream in the reaches classified as trout water to assess stream conditions (Type B).
4. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams is updated, correct the location of the change from Class II to Class III waters for Turntable Creek from Section 21, T45N R2E to R1E (Type B).
5. WDNR should, if Wisconsin Trout Streams is updated, correct the boundary between the two classes on Vaughn Creek as occurring at the stream crossing in Section 10 in Ashland County, not 9 (Type B).

Alder Creek

This stream is considered a brook trout stream for its entire length and its upper reaches above the middle of Section 4, T45N R1E are classified exceptional resource waters. It receives the effluent from the Anderson Sanitary District and Whitecap Mountain ski resort via a wetland draining to the creek, and the town of Knight wastewater treatment plant near Iron Belt discharges to an effluent ditch that reaches Alder Creek via Cemetery Creek (T46N R1E S35 SWSW) in the exceptional resource water reach. A wasteload allocation survey done for the town of Knight in 1980 did not indicate any negative effects on receiving waters. The survey did note that dissolved oxygen levels in Alder Creek were below the standards for a trout stream. A point source evaluation of Cemetery Creek in 1991 suggests the town of Knight discharge likely has no effect on water quality in Alder Creek.

We have no updated information on the Anderson Sanitary District discharge or location, other than a dry run ditch carries effluent to a wetland, the extent of which is variable based on beaver activity. The watershed is used by migratory and nesting waterfowl and a variety of furbearers.

A 1996 survey conducted as part of the coastal wetland evaluation found at the County Highway E crossing moderate richness for taxa (5-24 species) (Epstein 1996). The stream bottom at this point is primarily rock (65 percent) and muck (30 percent). Aquatic plant growth here contributed significantly to water quality conditions.

This stream flows through an area of county forest and private land that may be periodically clearcut.

Apple Creek

This stream supports a Class I brook trout fishery and is classified as an exceptional resource water. It flows north from wetlands south of the Gogebic Range to its confluence with the Potato River south of Upson. This stream flows through an area of county forest and private land that may be periodically clearcut.

Barr Creek

This stream is shown on 1:24,000 topographic maps from 1984 as intermittent. The area fisheries manager reports the stream is perennial for its entire length. The stream is identified as supporting a Class I brook trout fishery and has been classified as an exceptional resource water. This stream's watershed has a number of cleared lands.

Cemetery Creek

The town of Knight wastewater treatment plant, which treats the effluent from Iron Belt, discharges to an effluent ditch T45N R1E S2 NENW that empties into Cemetery Creek (T46N R1E S35 SWSW), which in turn is tributary to Alder Creek, an exceptional resource water. A wasteload allocation survey done for the town of Knight in 1980 did not indicate any negative effects on receiving waters. Cemetery Creek is considered a Class II trout fishery for its entire length. A point source evaluation in 1991 determined that the stream continues to support its classified uses and current effluent standards appear to be protective. The point where the effluent ditch meets Cemetery Creek occurs about a half mile above the confluence with Alder Creek. Downstream of this confluence, the stream corridor is wild and thickly wooded. Alder growth dominates streambank vegetation and in many areas forms a thick, tangled canopy. In-stream habitat is composed mainly of boulders, rubble, gravel and sand, creating numerous riffles and in-stream diversions. Water chemistry taken at sample sites on Cemetery Creek showed that the levels of dissolved oxygen and five-day biochemical oxygen demand were not of concern. The insect community found in the stream indicated excellent water quality with no apparent organic pollution problems. The insect community included great diversity and species sensitive to pollution. The stream habitat rated as good to excellent, with the lower scores coming from pool and ripple depths related to the stream's small size and hard bottom.

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

Chases Creek

This tributary to the Potato River is considered Class II trout waters. 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 aquatic plants were present at the survey site.

Coil Creek

This stream is listed as a Class II brook trout stream. It flows from Blueberry Marsh into the Potato River in Section 16. This stream is not listed by name in the Master Waterbody System, though a one-mile long unnamed creek occurs at the same location. This stream is listed in both Wisconsin Trout Streams and Surface Waters of Iron County as more than three miles long.

Freiberg Creek

This Class I brook trout stream enters Lawrence Creek in Section 14, T46N R1W. The stream flows through forest, lands cleared for agriculture and wetlands. Topographic maps indicate gravel pits near its confluence with Lawrence Creek. This stream has been classified an exceptional resource water.

Lawrence Creek and Mud Creek

There are several Mud Creeks in this section of Iron County. The Mud Creek in the Potato River Watershed is tributary to Lawrence Creek at T46N R1E S7 and is locally also called Lawrence Creek. The stream portion that flows north to the confluence is labeled on some maps as Mud Creek, and others as Lawrence Creek. The stream portion that comes from the east is also variably labeled. The most recent maps label Mud Creek as entering Lawrence Creek from the south. The stream has an abundant forage fishery and drains lands that are both forested and cleared for agriculture. Forestry activities and agriculture may pose a threat to this stream.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, sampling was conducted on Lawrence Creek at the Clement Road crossing. No rare species of macroinvertebrate were found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). Iron bacteria and aquatic plants were present at the survey site, but not significant.

Potato River

This Bad River tributary is considered a Class III trout fishery for brook, brown and rainbow trout, and is used by migratory species of trout and salmon from Lake Superior. The stream is considered a better brook trout stream above the confluence with Alder Creek than below. Beaver are frequently active in the upper reaches of the river, where migratory and nesting waterfowl are also found. This stream is subject to extreme flow variations, especially notable downstream from the confluence with Alder Creek where thermal levels can become lethal or near lethal for trout species. Most of the watershed is forested, where the potential exists for clearcutting and a hodgepodge of management approaches. Some agricultural clearing has occurred and several gravel pits also occur in the watershed. Several whitewater areas on the river feature waterfalls, most notably Potato River Falls, Foster Falls and Upson Falls. At the Iron/Ashland county line, the river crosses into the Bad River Indian Reservation. The river here tends to form large meanders in a broad valley, many becoming small oxbow ponds in the flood plain. We have very little information on this river.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, three rare species of macroinvertebrate were found in the Iron County portion of the stream, and one rare species was found in the Ashland County portion of the stream. Overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). Iron bacteria and aquatic plants were present at the survey site in Iron County, but not significant.

Sixteen Creek

This Alder Creek tributary is listed in Wisconsin Trout Streams as a Class II trout fishery and shown in Surface Waters of Iron County, but labeled on topographic maps as intermittent or wetland. The stream as described flows under Highway 77 from the south, sweeps west and joins Alder Creek in a wetland in Section 8, T45N R1E. This stream is listed in the Master Waterbody System as an unnamed, one-mile long creek that enters in the NENE of Section 8. The stream as delineated on maps is longer than two miles. This stream is described as supporting brook trout and a sparse forage fish population. A good portion of the stream flows through forest crop land and county forest.

Sullivan Creek

This tributary to the Potato River is considered a Class II trout stream. Old surveys report brook trout, mudminnow, sculpin, stickleback, northern creek chub and redbelly dace. Stream gradient is estimated to be 58 feet per mile, and flow variations can be extreme.

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

Turntable Creek

This stream flows from swampy headwaters north through forest land until it empties into the Potato River. The half mile above its confluence with the Potato is considered Class II brook trout water. The remainder of the stream is considered Class III brook trout water. Wisconsin Trout Streams erroneously names the location of the change from Class II to Class III as in Section 21, T45N R2E. It is in fact in R1E.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no species of macroinvertebrate were found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997).

Vaughn Creek

This stream is Class III trout water in its lower reaches near the confluence with the Potato River, and a Class II trout fishery in its upper reaches until it becomes largely bounded by wetlands. Wisconsin Trout Streams identifies the boundary between the two classes as occurring at the stream crossing in Section 9 in Ashland County. This road crossing actually occurs in Section 10. In Ashland County, the stream flows through the Bad River Indian Reservation. Unstable bottom conditions and wildly fluctuating water levels limit this portion of the stream as a trout water. The Iron County portions of the river are also subject to stream flow fluctuations, with low flows a common problem. The community of Saxon discharges effluent to Vaughn Creek just a few miles from the headwaters in an area of wetlands. Prior to the construction of the wastewater treatment plant, water quality sampling indicated combined septic tank effluent from Saxon harmed the creek. The stretch of this creek from the outfall in T46N R1W S1 NE to the west boundary of the section is recommended for inclusion in NR 104 as a limited forage fishery. Upstream of this reach, primarily wetland flow, is probably only supporting a limited forage fish community. We have no recent data on this stream. Much of the watershed is forested with a likelihood for varying approaches to forest management that could threaten the stream.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no species of macroinvertebrate were found and overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). At the survey site, streambank erosion is a significant pollutant source, with urban inputs a threat; silt is a significant factor affecting habitat quality.

Winks Creek

This Class II trout water flows entirely within the Bad River Indian Reservation. Most of the stream bottom is sandy, but there are some gravel areas. Stable water levels along with the spring water source contribute to the stream's trout habitat. Much of the watershed is forested with a likelihood for varying approaches to forest management that could threaten