1. SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHED WORK – FALL 2010
LOST CREEK WETLAND MITIGATION BANK SITE
George J. Kraft
Center for Watershed Science and Education
College of Natural Resources
University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
January 8, 2010
This summary describes work completed by a team at the College of Natural Resources, University of
Wisconsin – Stevens Point under subcontract to Stantec to assess water quality and aquatic ecology
conditions at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Lost Creek Wetland Mitigation Bank Site
located east of Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
Here we describe the work accomplishments generally in relation to UW-Stevens Point’s portion of the
scope of work described in the NRC communication to Gary Birch on July 30, 2010. Accomplishments
do not match the scope perfectly. Much of this is due to the late release of the contract from DOT, and
the short contract time horizon. For instance, to calculate a brook trout Habitat Suitability Index,
observations across multiple seasons are needed, but the contract timeframe only allowed for fall
observations. The late contract release truncated the season available for monitoring well installation,
pushing drilling dates against winter. Site conditions, such as standing water, precluded access to some
monitoring well locations.
Nonetheless, important observations on the site’s water quality and aquatic ecology were made, and point
to the general health, hydrology, and potential challenges at the site.
The following compares briefly item by item the scope and accomplishments, and refers readers to
documents containing more detailed information and conclusions.
Stream Discharge Monitoring
Original scope:
Discharge measurements will be made at the existing eight staff gage locations monthly for the
initial three months. Thereafter, monthly discharge measurements will be made at four locations.
Stages will be read from existing staff gage sites.
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Accomplished:
Reduced number of months over which measurements could be made. Ponding, especially in the northsouth channel of the restored stream made flow measurements impossible at some locations. A total of
thirteen discharge measurements were made at six locations on three dates.
Groundwater Monitoring Network and Level Monitoring
Original scope:
The original scope proposed keeping and using all of these twelve previously installed monitoring well
locations on the site, plus installing up to two piezometers at greater depths at four of them to monitor
vertical hydraulic and chemistry gradients (locations MW 7, 10, 1, and 4). Two new monitoring locations
were also proposed, near the extreme east and west portions of the site, to be outfitted with 8 sampling
ports spaced equidistantly through the saturated thickness for measuring hydraulic gradients and water
quality. Finally, the scope proposed using or reconstructing a long-term monitoring well north of
Nelsonville that has a record extending from the 1950s to late 1990s for use in comparing the relative
wetness or dryness of conditions during the period.
Accomplished:
Previously installed monitoring well locations were inaccessible to vehicles and drill equipment due to
inundation and soggy soils. Instead of installing two piezometers at four pre-existing monitoring well
locations, we installed six piezometers at two locations in the interior of the site. We also installed five
piezometers at a new location at the far east of the sites, and six piezometers at a new location at the far
west. Monitoring well elevations need to be established before hydraulic gradients can be established.
Groundwater Quality Monitoring
Proposed:
Water samples were to be collected from the broad network of 12 original monitoring wells plus
associated piezometers (about 20 sample points total) and analyzed for pH, dissolved oxygen, specific
conductance, nitrate-N, and Cl. Piezometers located at the extreme east and west portions of the site (
(2 sites, 8 sample points each) were to be sampled to establish groundwater quality profiles, with samples
analyzed for pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, nitrate-N, and Cl. A total of 8 points were to be
sampled annually for a more extensive analytical suite: dissolved ions (Al, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Si, P,
S, and total Kjeldahl N, acid neutralizing capacity, and dissolved organic carbon) and pesticides (atrazine,
atrazine metabolites, and 28 other pesticides analyzable by GC/MS; chloroacetanilide herbicide
metabolites that include those of alachlor, metolachlor, and acetochlor).
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Accomplished:
Depth to groundwater measurements were obtained on two dates. Chemical analyses were run on fifteen
groundwater samples from the monitoring well network. Parameters included pH, dissolved oxygen,
specific conductance, nitrate-N, Cl, dissolved ions (Al, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Si, P, S, and total
Kjeldahl N, acid neutralizing capacity, and dissolved organic carbon) and pesticides (atrazine, atrazine
metabolites, and 28 other pesticides analyzable by GC/MS; chloroacetanilide herbicide metabolites that
include those of alachlor, metolachlor, and acetochlor).
Stream Water Quality
Proposed:
Stream temperature, dissolved oxygen, discharge and temperature were to be measured at four
locations monthly during summer, and once in spring, and fall. Stream water quality at the downstream
end of the north and south stream branches will be analyzed for pesticides (see above) and extensive
dissolved constituents (Al, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Mn, Fe, Si, P, S, and total Kjeldahl N, acid neutralizing
capacity, dissolved organic carbon).
Accomplished:
Stream temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and discharge were measured on two dates at a total of five
locations. Samples for laboratory analyses (inorganics and pesticide residues) were collected on
November 2 during baseflow conditions at two locations.
Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
Proposed:
Macroinvertebrate sampling and analysis was to be performed at 8 sample sites in the wetland mitigation
area, in representative segments of the newly created channel, plus at a control site established on either
the Little Plover or the original channel of Lost Creek depending on availability of suitable
substrates and current velocity. For each sample site, water depth, current velocity, and visual in-stream
characteristics such as stream bank erosion and turbidity will be recorded. The pH, temperature, and
dissolved oxygen and stream velocity will also be measured. A biotic index was to be calculated for each
sampled location.
Accomplished:
Aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling and bioassessment was performed at three locations on the south
channel of Lost Creek, five locations on the north channel of Lost Creek, and one at a control location on
the Little Plover River (Portage County, Wisconsin) on 23 October 2010. Three replicate samples were
collected at each location for a total of 27 samples. At each sample site temperature, pH, dissolved
oxygen levels, current velocity, water depth and stream width were measured along with visual in-stream
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characteristics such as stream bank erosion, turbidity and point source discharge. Biotic indices used at
each sample location included: The Hilsenhoff Biotic Index, the Family Biotic Index, a 10-Max Biotic
Index, an aquatic macroinvertebrate-based Index of Biotic Integrity, generic richness values,
Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera values, the Shannon’s diversity index, and trophic function
measures.
Fisheries Assessment
Proposed:
Fish were to be collected by electrofishing from a stream length 35 times its average width, measured,
counted and identified. An IBI was to be calculated. In addition, a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) was to
be calculated.
Accomplished:
Fish were collected fish from six 300-ft transects within the newly created stream channel and from two
transects in areas adjacent to the newly created channel during 15 October to 23 October 2010. All fish
captured were indentified to species, counted, and total length measurements were recorded for all brook
trout. The index of biotic integrity (IBI) developed by Lyons et al. (1996) for coldwater streams in
Wisconsin was calculated. We could not complete the brook trout habitat suitability index (HBI)
assessment in the short sampling window we were allotted. The full HBI model requires extensive
sampling during different seasons of the year. However, we did calculate a simpler HBI based on Raleigh
(1982) from eight metrics.
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