U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2010–3075

September 2010

Prepared in cooperation with the Teton Conservation District

Characterization of Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, 

2004–08

Printed on recycled paper

Introduction

Fish Creek, a tributary to the Snake 

River, is about 15 river miles long and 

is located in Teton County in western 

Wyoming near the town of Wilson (fig. 1). 

Public concern about nuisance growths 

of aquatic plants in Fish Creek has been 

increasing since the early 2000s. To address 

this concern, the U.S. Geological Survey, 

in cooperation with the Teton Conservation 

District, began studying Fish Creek in 2004 

to describe the hydrology of the creek and 

later (2007–08) to characterize the water 

quality and the biological communities. The 

purpose of this fact sheet is to summarize 

the study results from 2004 to 2008.

Snake

River

River

Ventre

Gros

Creek

Creek

Creek

Fish

Fis

Tra

h

il

Canyon

Canyon

Black

Phillips

Lake

River

Creek

Creek

Creek

Creek

Creek

Flat

Spring

Flat

Cottonwood

Taylor

Mosquito

R IV

E

26

89

26 

89 

187 

189 

187

189

22 

22 

390 

390 

110°45 ́

43°30 ́

0 1 2 MILES

0 1 2 KILOMETERS

Teton

Village

Jackson

Wilson

Creek

Fall

Road

Creek

Fish

Road Resor's Road

Pine Meadow 

Road

Base from Redistricting Census 2000 TIGER/Line Files,

U.S. Census Bureau, 2001

Public land survey system modified from Wyoming Water Resources Center digital data, 1994

Albers Equal-area Conic projection, standard parallels 41°N and 45°N, central meridian 110°30 ′W

S

NA

K

E

R

R

A

NG

E

EGNAR ERTNEV SORG

110°55 ́ 110°50 ́

43°25 ́

43°35 ́

1

36

T. 41 N.

T. 40 N.

T. 42 N.

T. 41 N.

R. 117 W. R. 116 W.

36 31

6 1 6

6 1

36 31

TETON

RANGE

Creek

Creek

Snake

Intermittent water-quality and(or) biological data

 sampling station and site name 

Groundwater-sampling station and site name 

Continuous streamflow-gaging station and site name A–Wck

A–Wck

A–R7 Intermittent streamflow-gaging station and site name

A–Wck–W1

EXPLANATION

A–Wck–W1

A–R1U

A–R1D

A–R1D–W1

A–RB

A–R6D

A–Wck (gaging

station 13016450)

A–R3D

A–R3D–W1

A–R7

W Y O M IN G

Study area

(A) Green hue in stream primarily from the algae Cladophora at site A-Wck, Fish Creek at Wilson, July 2007. 

(Photograph by David A. Peterson.)

(B) Macrophytes and macroalgae on the streambed in Fish Creek at site A-R7, August 2008. (Photograph by 

Jerrod D. Wheeler.)

(C) Typical algal growth on cobbles from Fish Creek at site A-Wck during August 2008. (Photograph by Cheryl 

A. Eddy-Miller.)

Figure 1. Fish Creek study area and surface-water and groundwater sampling sites.

A

B

C
Hydrology

The interaction between surface water and groundwater 

in the Fish Creek area was the focus of two separate studies: 

a seepage run study (Wheeler and Eddy-Miller, 2005) and a 

continuous groundwater/surface-water interaction study (EddyMiller and others, 2009). During the seepage run, conducted in 

August and November 2004, flows were measured in the creek 

at six sections to describe where the creek gained water from, 

or lost water to, groundwater. A summary of the results of the 

seepage run are shown in figure 2.

The seepage run showed how Fish Creek and the nearby 

groundwater interacted at two specific times. To determine the 

interaction between surface water and groundwater on a yearly 

basis, an 18-month-long study using heat as a tracer began in 

2005 (Eddy-Miller and others, 2009).

The results of both studies showed that:

Flow in Fish Creek is a function of runoff from snowmelt 

and precipitation, irrigation return flows, tributary streams, 

and groundwater input.

Near Teton Village

Fish Creek near Teton Village typically had water in 

the channel from late April/mid-May until mid- to late 

September.

Flow in Fish Creek in the Teton Village area was in large 

part due to inputs of groundwater to the creek channel.

Upstream from Lake Creek Confluence

Fish Creek becomes a perennial stream just upstream from 

the confluence with Lake Creek.

Figure 2. Seepage run results from August and November 2004 

show Fish Creek is either gaining water from groundwater or neither 

gaining water from nor losing water to groundwater.

Wintertime streamflow measurement at Fish Creek at 

Wilson site. (Photograph by Cheryl A. Eddy-Miller.)

Measuring water levels at well cross section. 

(Photograph by Rodney R. Caldwell.)

Creek Creek

Creek

Fish

Fish Canyon

Canyon

TETON

RANGE

Creek Creek

Creek

Fish

Fish Canyon

Canyon

TETON

RANGE

0.93

40.8

112

119

298

296

316

329

376

384

10.3

13.1

45.8

53.0

55.5

55.0

54.2

70.0

August flows November flows

EXPLANATION

Gaining reach

No significant gain or 

 loss in reach

Dry

Streamflow discharge,

 in cubic feet 

 per second 

dry

dry

70.0

390

390

Teton

Village

Wilson Creek

Fish

Road Resor's Road

Pine Meadow 

Road

390

390

Teton

Village

Wilson Creek

Fish

Road Resor's Road

Pine Meadow 

Road

High flows in the creek in this area were due to a large 

increase in groundwater input to the creek that occurred 

from spring through mid-July in 2005 and 2006.

At Wilson

The flow in Fish Creek at Wilson is a combination of 

upstream flow in the creek, tributary inputs, and a smaller, 

but steady, year-round groundwater input.

At Wilson, a U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging 

station (13016450) has recorded flow in the river every 

15 minutes since 1994. These data can be accessed 

at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site 

no=13016450&agency_cd=USGS. 

Data from this streamflow-gaging station show:

Average flow in the winter is about 40 cubic feet per 

second (ft3/s).

The highest summer flows typically occur in June and 

average around 600 ft3/s during the days with highest 

flows.

The highest flow on record (1,430 ft3/s) occurred on 

June 8, 1997.
Water Quality and Biological Communities

During 2007–08, samples were collected and analyzed to 

characterize the water quality and biological communities of 

Fish Creek (Eddy-Miller and others, in press). Stream temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen were 

measured and samples for analyses of nutrients were collected 

to describe the water quality of Fish Creek and nearby groundwater. Algae, macrophytes (rooted aquatic plants), and benthic 

macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects and others that live on the 

streambed) were the biological communities studied. Although 

2 years of data are not sufficient to statistically define ecological 

relations, the data from eight sampling events during the 2 years 

were used to characterize the stream. 

Water-Quality Results:

Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are the 

most important nutrients for algal growth, were analyzed 

to help describe the water quality in the creek. All waterquality data can be accessed at http://wy.water.usgs.gov/

projects/fishcreek/communities.htm.

Concentrations of nutrients are higher in the groundwater 

than in Fish Creek. Because it is known that a large amount 

of water in the creek originates as groundwater, one source 

of nutrients is the groundwater. 

(A and B) Algal growth on 

cobbles in Fish Creek at 

sites A-R3D, August 2008. 

(Photographs by Jerrod D. 

Wheeler.)

A

B

Water-quality sample collection at site A-R7. (Photograph by 

Jerrod D. Wheeler.)

Biological Community Results

The amount of algae in Fish Creek (determined using 

chlorophyll-a as an indicator) is atypical. 

The concentrations of chlorophyll-a at the sites with 

perennial flow averaged more than 200 milligrams per 

square meter (mg/m2), ranging from 47 mg/m2 to more 

than 3,000 mg/m2 (Eddy-Miller and others, in press).

Chlorophyll-a concentrations in Fish Creek were much 

higher than concentrations in other area streams and 

rivers, which had concentrations ranging from 1.1 to 

16 mg/m2

 (Eddy-Miller and others, in press). 

Ninety percent of all chlorophyll-a concentrations from 

Fish Creek were higher than the voluntary standard 

recommended by local governments in Montana 

(100 mg/m2

) to curb nuisance growths of algae in the 

Clarks Fork River (Eddy-Miller and others, in press).

Seasonal patterns are evident for several biological 

communities:

Algae are always present in the stream, but the amount 

and type are different depending on the time of year.

More caddisfly, mayfly, and stonefly larvae are found in 

the May samples than in the August samples (fig. 3).

Mayflies

35 percent

Stoneflies

2 percent

Caddisflies

16 percent

Other insects

2 percent

True flies

37 percent

Noninsect 8 percent

Noninsect 

15 percent

True flies

67 percent

Mayflies 9 percent

Stoneflies less than 1 percent

Caddisflies 7 percent

Other insects

2 percent

May 

August

Figure 3. Average distribution of 

macroinvertebrates at Fish Creek sites with 

perennial flow show a change in distribution 

of species between May and August, 

2007–08. 
Future Work

Continued collection of the same types of data are planned 

for 2010 and 2011. After the 2011 data collection, the 5 years of 

data can be analyzed using statistical methods to evaluate true 

patterns from the expected variations that occur on an annual 

basis. These analyses can help to determine what relations exist 

between the flow, water quality, aquatic plants, and macroinvertebrates. This information can then be used by interested parties 

to determine ways to protect Fish Creek as a productive fishery 

in the future.

A B C D

(A) Making a summer streamflow measurement at site A-R7; (B) evaluating aquatic plants; (C) collecting algal samples; and (D) making a fall streamflow measurement at site 

A-R6D. (Photographs by Cheryl A. Eddy-Miller [A] and Jerrod D. Wheeler [B, C, and D].)

References Cited

Eddy-Miller, C.A., Peterson, D.A., Wheeler, J.D., and Leemon, D.J., 

in press, Characterization of water quality and biological communities, Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, 2007–08: U.S. Geological 

Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5188.

Eddy-Miller, C.A., Wheeler, J.D., and Essaid, H.I., 2009, Characterization of interactions between surface water and near-stream groundwater along Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, by using heat as 

a tracer: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 

2009–5160, 53 p.

Wheeler, J.D., and Eddy-Miller, C.A., 2005, Seepage investigation on 

selected reaches of Fish Creek, Teton County, Wyoming, 2004: U.S. 

Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005–5133, 15 p.

For More Information:

Visit the USGS Wyoming Water Science Center Web site 

at http://wy.water.usgs.gov/projects/fishcreek/index.htm, or 

contact: 

Cheryl A. Eddy-Miller 

U.S. Geological Survey, 2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite B, 

Cheyenne, WY 82001, (307) 775–9167, cemiller@usgs.gov.

Dan Leemon

Teton Conservation District, P.O. Box, 1070, Jackson, WY 

83001, (307) 733–2110, dan@tetonconservation.org.

A

(A) Equipment used 

for collection of 

macroinvertebrates (B) 

stonefly and (C) caddisflies 

found in Fish Creek at site 

A-Wck. (Photographs by Ty D. 

Blacklock [A], and Jerrod D. 

Wheeler [B and C].)

C

B

By

Cheryl A. Eddy-Miller,1 David A. Peterson,1 Jerrod D. Wheeler,1 and 

Daniel J. Leemon2

1

U.S. Geological Survey. 

2

Teton Conservation District.