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Willow Creek is a cold water stream and considered a remnant coastal resource that supports reproducing salmonid populations within a rapidly urbanizing region of east-central Wisconsin. These cold water resources are extremely rare on the western shores of Lake Michigan, therefore, provide unique spawning habitat for brook trout, brown trout, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and steelhead along with other pollution intolerant species. NRC facilitated studies that concluded Willow Creek is the only stream in Wisconsin with successful natural reproduction of coho, chinook, and steelhead from Lake Michigan.
NRC provided technical expertise and was instrumental in securing over $35,000 in grant money from the USFWS and the WDNR to support efforts to rehabilitate Willow Creek. In NRC’s role as grant administrator, we worked closely with 5 municipalities within the watershed and local conservation organizations including Trout Unlimited, International Great Lakes Coalition, Sheboygan River Basin Partnership, and the Sheboygan County Conservation Association. NRC assembled a team of experts from the UW-Stevens Point, WDNR, USFWS, and local biologists to complete field studies which lead to a Trout Stream designation for the waterway. NRC also identified local volunteer school groups to gather stream and watershed information to support studies being completed by the UW-Stevens Point.
