This article is about the tributary of the St. Croix River. For Brown's Creek in California, see Browns Canyon Wash.
Brown's Creek is a 9.7-mile-long (15.6 km)[1][3] stream which originates about 5.5 miles northwest of the city of Stillwater and flows south for about half its length then east to its confluence with the St. Croix River just north of Stillwater in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. It is one of few creeks in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul "Twin Cities" metropolitan area that supports a fishable trout population.[4]
The creek's name is from the founder of the first settlement in the Stillwater area, Joseph R. Brown,[5] where Brown's Creek (then Pine Creek) flows into the St. Croix River. In 1840 Brown, a former soldier, Indian trader, promoter, and Justice of the Peace set up a small warehouse at the head of Lake St. Croix to supply his upriver fur trading operations. This warehouse, in what is now the north part of Stillwater, became the county seat of St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. Brown began building a courthouse and jail and importing settlers for his new village, which he named Dacotah. Several of Brown’s relatives, including his half-sister Lydia Ann and her husband, Paul Carli, moved into a house built of tamarack logs. The Tamarack House, well known as “Mrs. Carli’s,” became a favorite stopping place for travelers on the St. Croix River. However, few other settlers arrived in Dacotah until a mill was built to the south in what became Stillwater.[6]
Watershed and courseedit
The watershed includes School Section Lakes, Goggins Lake, Long Lake and Benz Lake.[7] Brown's Creek flows through the Brown's Creek Park and Nature Preserve[8] northwest of Stillwater, then proceeds east to its confluence with the St. Croix River. At one time in its history, Brown's Creek was diverted into McKusick Lake, which supplied water to Stillwater residents. By 1955 fisheries managers recognized that warm lake water was putting a strain on the trout population in Brown's Creek. In an effort to reduce water temperatures for the benefit of trout, a dike was constructed to separate the stream from the lake and return the flow back to Brown's Creek. The dike still exists today.[4] Brown's Creek underwent a re-route in the fall of 1999 that shortened this section of the stream from 5,130 feet to 2,000 feet in order to lower water temperatures by avoiding water warming in the previous meander through a wetland just north of Lake McKusick, increasing stream velocity and decreasing organic matter in the stream. This project by the city of Stillwater and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also restored natural riparian vegetation as the creek traverses the Oak Glen Golf Course.[4]
Ecologyedit
Brown's Creek has been listed as impaired since 2002 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency because of low indices of biological integrity (IBI) for fish and macroinvertebrates. Factors (all likely related to runoff) which harm fish and invertebrates include total suspended solids (TSS), high temperature, low dissolved oxygen (DO) and two pollutants: copper and nitrate-nitrite (NOx). NOx levels were higher than nitrite concentrations known to produce brown blood disease, lower productivity in trout, and other non-lethal impairments to trout growth and reproduction.[9]
The creek has been stocked with non-native Brown trout (Salmo trutta) by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries since 1955. Stillwater students have been monitoring water quality in Brown's Creek since 1998.[3] Recently there is a controversy where brown trout proponents are concerned that native beaver (Castor canadensis) dams are warming water temperatures and acting as an impediment to trout passage.[10] However, the plan to set lethal traps to kill the beavers is controversial as the presence of beaver dams has been shown in scientific studies to increase the number of brown trout, their size, or both, in the Sierra Nevada[11] and also in a study of small streams in brown trout's native Sweden, that found that the fish were larger in beaver ponds compared with those in riffle sections, and that beaver ponds provide habitat for larger trout in small streams during periods of drought.[12] Deep water in beaver ponds provides critical winter refuge from ice in small streams like Brown's Creek.[13] Also, as beaver dams raise the groundwater table, a larger hyporheic zone is created which may be important to trout spawning.
^ abcdU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed June 19, 2011
^"Browns Creek". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^ ab"Brown's Creek Overview". from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
^ abc(PDF) (Report). Brown's Creek Watershed District. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-05. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
^Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 573.
^"History of Stillwater at the Washington County Historical Society". from the original on 2008-12-20. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
^. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
^U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Brown's Creek Park
^Emmons & Olivier Resources, Inc. (June 2010). Brown’s Creek Impaired Biota TMDL – Appendix A: Stressor Identification (Report). Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
^Hannah Johnson (2011-06-16). "Leave It to Beavers". Stillwater Gazette. Retrieved 2011-06-19.[permanent dead link]
^Gard R (1961). "Effects of beaver on trout in Sagehen Creek, California". Journal of Wildlife Management. 25 (3): 221–242. doi:10.2307/3797848. JSTOR 3797848.
^Hägglund, Å. & Sjöberg, G. (1999). "Effects of beaver dams on the fish fauna of forest streams". Forest Ecology and Management. 115 (2–3): 259–266. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(98)00404-6.
^Collen P, Gibson RJ (2001). "The general ecology of beavers (Castor spp.), as related to their influence on stream ecosystems and riparian habitats, and the subsequent effects on fish – a review". Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. 10 (4): 439–461. doi:10.1023/A:1012262217012.
External linksedit
Brown's Creek Watershed District
April 12, 2024
brown, creek, croix, river, tributary, this, article, about, tributary, croix, river, brown, creek, california, browns, canyon, wash, brown, creek, mile, long, stream, which, originates, about, miles, northwest, city, stillwater, flows, south, about, half, len. This article is about the tributary of the St Croix River For Brown s Creek in California see Browns Canyon Wash Brown s Creek is a 9 7 mile long 15 6 km 1 3 stream which originates about 5 5 miles northwest of the city of Stillwater and flows south for about half its length then east to its confluence with the St Croix River just north of Stillwater in Washington County Minnesota United States It is one of few creeks in the Minneapolis Saint Paul Twin Cities metropolitan area that supports a fishable trout population 4 Brown s CreekMouth of Brown s CreekLocationCountryUnited StatesStateMinnesotaRegionWashington CountyCityStillwaterPhysical characteristicsSource locationWithrow Minnesota 2 coordinates45 07 08 N 92 53 57 W 45 11889 N 92 89917 W 45 11889 92 89917 elevation992 ft 302 m 1 MouthConfluence with the St Croix River locationStillwater Minnesota coordinates45 07 08 N 92 53 57 W 45 11889 N 92 89917 W 45 11889 92 89917 1 elevation670 ft 200 m 1 Contents 1 History 2 Watershed and course 3 Ecology 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe creek s name is from the founder of the first settlement in the Stillwater area Joseph R Brown 5 where Brown s Creek then Pine Creek flows into the St Croix River In 1840 Brown a former soldier Indian trader promoter and Justice of the Peace set up a small warehouse at the head of Lake St Croix to supply his upriver fur trading operations This warehouse in what is now the north part of Stillwater became the county seat of St Croix County Wisconsin Territory Brown began building a courthouse and jail and importing settlers for his new village which he named Dacotah Several of Brown s relatives including his half sister Lydia Ann and her husband Paul Carli moved into a house built of tamarack logs The Tamarack House well known as Mrs Carli s became a favorite stopping place for travelers on the St Croix River However few other settlers arrived in Dacotah until a mill was built to the south in what became Stillwater 6 Watershed and course editThe watershed includes School Section Lakes Goggins Lake Long Lake and Benz Lake 7 Brown s Creek flows through the Brown s Creek Park and Nature Preserve 8 northwest of Stillwater then proceeds east to its confluence with the St Croix River At one time in its history Brown s Creek was diverted into McKusick Lake which supplied water to Stillwater residents By 1955 fisheries managers recognized that warm lake water was putting a strain on the trout population in Brown s Creek In an effort to reduce water temperatures for the benefit of trout a dike was constructed to separate the stream from the lake and return the flow back to Brown s Creek The dike still exists today 4 Brown s Creek underwent a re route in the fall of 1999 that shortened this section of the stream from 5 130 feet to 2 000 feet in order to lower water temperatures by avoiding water warming in the previous meander through a wetland just north of Lake McKusick increasing stream velocity and decreasing organic matter in the stream This project by the city of Stillwater and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also restored natural riparian vegetation as the creek traverses the Oak Glen Golf Course 4 Ecology editBrown s Creek has been listed as impaired since 2002 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency because of low indices of biological integrity IBI for fish and macroinvertebrates Factors all likely related to runoff which harm fish and invertebrates include total suspended solids TSS high temperature low dissolved oxygen DO and two pollutants copper and nitrate nitrite NOx NOx levels were higher than nitrite concentrations known to produce brown blood disease lower productivity in trout and other non lethal impairments to trout growth and reproduction 9 The creek has been stocked with non native Brown trout Salmo trutta by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries since 1955 Stillwater students have been monitoring water quality in Brown s Creek since 1998 3 Recently there is a controversy where brown trout proponents are concerned that native beaver Castor canadensis dams are warming water temperatures and acting as an impediment to trout passage 10 However the plan to set lethal traps to kill the beavers is controversial as the presence of beaver dams has been shown in scientific studies to increase the number of brown trout their size or both in the Sierra Nevada 11 and also in a study of small streams in brown trout s native Sweden that found that the fish were larger in beaver ponds compared with those in riffle sections and that beaver ponds provide habitat for larger trout in small streams during periods of drought 12 Deep water in beaver ponds provides critical winter refuge from ice in small streams like Brown s Creek 13 Also as beaver dams raise the groundwater table a larger hyporheic zone is created which may be important to trout spawning See also editBrown trout North American beaverReferences edit a b c d U S Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset high resolution flowline data The National Map Archived 2012 03 29 at the Wayback Machine accessed June 19 2011 Browns Creek Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Archived from the original on 20 February 2018 Retrieved 1 September 2020 a b Brown s Creek Overview Archived from the original on 2012 03 25 Retrieved 2011 06 19 a b c What We Know About Brown s Creek and Brown Trout PDF Report Brown s Creek Watershed District Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 05 Retrieved 2011 06 19 Upham Warren 1920 Minnesota Geographic Names Their Origin and Historic Significance Minnesota Historical Society p 573 History of Stillwater at the Washington County Historical Society Archived from the original on 2008 12 20 Retrieved 2011 06 20 Brown s Creek Watershed Quick Facts Archived from the original on 2011 07 24 Retrieved 2011 06 19 U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Brown s Creek Park Emmons amp Olivier Resources Inc June 2010 Brown s Creek Impaired Biota TMDL Appendix A Stressor Identification Report Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Archived from the original on 2012 03 14 Retrieved 2011 06 19 Hannah Johnson 2011 06 16 Leave It to Beavers Stillwater Gazette Retrieved 2011 06 19 permanent dead link Gard R 1961 Effects of beaver on trout in Sagehen Creek California Journal of Wildlife Management 25 3 221 242 doi 10 2307 3797848 JSTOR 3797848 Hagglund A amp Sjoberg G 1999 Effects of beaver dams on the fish fauna of forest streams Forest Ecology and Management 115 2 3 259 266 doi 10 1016 S0378 1127 98 00404 6 Collen P Gibson RJ 2001 The general ecology of beavers Castor spp as related to their influence on stream ecosystems and riparian habitats and the subsequent effects on fish a review Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 10 4 439 461 doi 10 1023 A 1012262217012 External links editBrown s Creek Watershed District Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brown 27s Creek St Croix River tributary amp oldid 1157288138, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
