produced by the �Black Earth Creek Watershed Association
“A watershed is the area of land from which water drains into a river, stream, or other waterbody.”
source: Hudson River Watershed Alliance
https://hudsonwatershed.org/
Water draining from a tributary (stream) to a reservoir (Green Bay) within a watershed
Peninsula State Park
Door County, Wisconsin
4/04/2025
Black Earth Creek
Watershed
105 square miles
Mix of forests (37%), agricultural
land (37%), & grassland (16%)
Black Earth Creek is focal point
Map by Bob Marshall
105 respondents:
2023 Community Survey Results
105 respondents:
“Which of the following topics would you like to learn more about? (Choose all that apply)”
Creek/Watershed Science
Water Quality Indicators
Recreational Use Economic Impact
Watershed General Info
Successful Conservation Efforts
Suggestions for Community Action
2023 Community Survey Results
Healthy Creek Flow
Indicators of Watershed Health:
Springs from groundwater sustain the coldwater community and natural reproduction of the wild trout fishery.
Green Infrastructure (rain gardens, wetlands, permeable pavement, etc.) allow rain and snow to seep into the ground and emerge as springs.
Decades of successful efforts have helped maintain spring flow into Black Earth Creek— essential for future creek health.
A Cold Creek
is a Healthy Creek
Indicators of Watershed Health:
Black Earth Creek can get too warm and rise above the optimal stream temperature for trout of 62°F.
Maintaining the spring flow and shading will keep the temperature of the stream cold enough for trout and other organisms.
62 degrees - optimal temp for trout
Summer Temperatures 2022
Minimizing Pollutant Runoff
Indicators of Watershed Health:
Preventing polluted urban and farm
runoff into watershed streams maintains creek health.
Excess plant & microorganism growth in the stream is fueled by fertilizer & nutrients in runoff → this consumes oxygen and harms fish and other organisms.
Runoff controls (e.g., stormwater basins, stream buffers, and wetlands) prevent erosion and trap pollutants.
Indicators of Watershed Health:
Macroinvertebrates Indicate
Creek Health
Macroinvertebrates (small aquatic animals) are important food for creek fish.
More polluted streams have fewer macroinvertebrate numbers and species present.
Key aquatic insect species are almost entirely absent; likely caused by pesticides in the water.
Indicators of Watershed Health:
Dissolved Oxygen is Critical to Creek Life
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) can drop to harmful levels when pollutants wash into the stream during rain events.
Lower DO stresses trout, aquatic macroinvertebrates, and other organisms. This can limit their populations and decrease species diversity.
Indicators of Watershed Health:
Black Earth Creek is a nationally recognized Class 1 Trout Stream with good access, habitat, and water quality.
Trout population is good, but reduced from the highs of 20 years ago.
Trout are vulnerable to reduced spring flow, polluted runoff, low dissolved oxygen, pesticides, and higher water temperatures.
Trout Populations Are Stable but Vulnerable
Issues of Concern:
Neonicotinoid pesticides (Neonics) likely caused declines of formerly abundant aquatic insects such as Ephemerella and Hexagenia—important food for fish.
Neonics have been found in watershed streams at acute and chronic levels which can kill the insects or inhibit their reproduction.
PFAS levels have recently fallen and have allowed the fish consumption advisory to be lifted.
Toxic Chemicals
Are In Our Watershed
New Zealand Mudsnails
Issues of Concern:
New Zealand Mudsnails are present in Black Earth Creek watershed streams.
Mudsnail numbers vary greatly in watershed streams— abundant in the upper reaches but declining in other areas.
Anglers need to be vigilant and disinfect gear (waders, boots, etc) after fishing Black Earth Creek.
Successful Conservation Efforts
Encourage local policy makers to:
You can also:
What Can You Do to Help Protect Watershed Health?
Photo by Dennis Franke
We hope to see you at our April 22 Forum!
Thank you for attending this evening!
Please take a few minutes to provide us with valuable feedback by answering 3 brief questions on our online survey.
(Just point your cell phone camera at this QR code and then tap on the link that appears.)
2023 Survey Results
105 respondents:
“Which of the following topics would you like to learn more about? (Choose all that apply)”