Leo Creek Status

Information courtesy of Scott Toshner, Department of Natural Resources

Leo Creek is a Class II trout stream from Upper St. Croix lake to Cemetery Road.  This includes the DCWMA segment.  The DNR defines a Class II stream as "some natural reproduction is present but stocking is needed to maintain a desirable fishery."

From Cemetery Road to the creek's headwaters, Leo Creek is a Class III trout stream.  The DNR defines a Class III stream as "a stream that sustains no natural reproduction, or trout only seasonally, and requires annual stocking of legal-size fish for sport fishing."

This is an unusual situation. Commonly the higher classification occurs near the headwaters and declines throughout the length of the stream. This is usually due to headwater groundwater discharge making the upper sections cooler and thus more conducive to trout.

Leo Creek is different. From historic surveys in DNR files there are indications that the headwaters portion downstream to Cemetery road gets most of its flow from surface runoff, and at dry periods can have very little water. These surveys also indicate that just downstream of Cemetery road (within the DCWMA) there is a significant seepage or spring area that increases flow and cools temperatures.

Historically the best Brook and Brown Trout populations have occurred between the Upper St. Croix lake and the railroad tunnel, however moderate populations of trout existed upstream to Cemetery road. Upstream of Cemetery road very few trout were surveyed.  In addition to Brook and Brown Trout, White Sucker, Creek Chub, Yellow Bullhead, Johnny Darter, Mudminow, Common Shinner, Brook Stickleback and Mottled Sculpin were also present. The stream has not been surveyed by the DNR since 1969.  It is on a list to be surveyed in 2006.

Stocking of mostly Brook Trout and some Brown Trout started in 1935 and continued pretty much on an annual basis until 1995, when budget cutbacks reduced trout stocking.