About the Pine Creek Watershed
The purpose of this project is to develop an implementation plan (9-Key Element Plan) for the Pine Creek watershed to reduce phosphorus and sediment loads from point and nonpoint sources in order to meet Wisconsin’s surface water quality standards. Nutrient and Sediment reductions in the project area, and the larger Manitowoc River basin, are crucial to the local economy, lifestyles and recreational opportunities in the region, and will benefit the extensive habitat dependent on water quality and near shore health.
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Pine Creek watershed is located in Northeast Wisconsin, in Manitowoc County, just south of the city of Manitowoc. The Pine Creek Watershed is a Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 12 nested within the Sevenmile and Silver Creeks Frontal Lake Michigan Watershed HUC 10 which is in the WDNR- Northeast Lakeshore Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) basin. Pine and Calvin Creeks, located in the watershed transports water from approximately 21 square miles, or 13,409 acres of land into Lake Michigan. Water from 1,800 acres, or 13% of the Pine Creek watershed, is transported by an unnamed intermittent stream or flows directly into Lake Michigan.
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Pine Creek is an 8-mile stream located in the mid and southern portion of the watershed. It starts at Carstens Lake and flows southeast, emptying into Lake Michigan, just south of County Highway U.
The stream's potential to support a balanced biologic community is affected by low flow. During spring runoff, Lake Michigan fish species use the mouth areas of Pine Creek for spawning. Phosphorus results confirm impairment due to exceedance of water quality standards.
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Calvin Creek is approximately six miles long and is located in the northern portion of the watershed. It starts at Hartlaub Lake and flows south then east, emptying into Lake Michigan, just east of the intersection of Clover Road and County Highway LS. Calvin Creek supports a forage fishery. Migration of salmonid species from Lake Michigan is limited because of low flow and impassable culverts. Calvin Creek has extremely low flow during the summer and fall. Calvin Creek supports native gamefish during high water years and high water periods. Phosphorus results confirm impairment due to exceedance of water quality standards.
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There is a 1.2 mile intermittent stream located between Calvin and Pine Creeks that starts just north of County Highway C and west of Northeim Road that flows southeast to Lake Michigan.
