Water Detail - Spafford Creek, Lower Pecatonica River Watershed (SP07)

Spafford Creek, Lower Pecatonica River Watershed (SP07)

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Spafford Creek (915600)

Size

9.60 Miles

Segment

0 - 9.60

Natural Community

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.

Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem

Year Last Monitored

This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.

2022

General Condition

Good

County

Lafayette

Trout Water

Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.

Outstanding or Exceptional

Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.

Impaired Water

A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use

The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.

Supported Aquatic Life

Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).

Attainable Use

The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.

WWSF

Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.

Designated Use

This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.

Default FAL

Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

This moderate sized warm water stream originates in Wisconsin and flows south into Illinois before curving back toward the north into Wisconsin and eventually entering the Pecatonica River. The Surface Water Resources of Lafayette County (1967) reports fair to good smallmouth bass and catfish populations. Much of the stream is impacted by bank erosion. A fish kill occurred in 1987. The stream has not been monitored recently.

Date 2002

Author Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Spafford Creek is a fairly large spring-fed and warm water drainage stream located in the southeastern corner of the county. Originating in Wisconsin it flows south into Illinois while curving north back into Wisconsin where it eventually flows into the West Branch of the Pecatonica River. Its tributary system includes Turtle Creek, Brown Branch and three unnamed feeders. Virtually all of the land within the watershed is used for agricultural purposes. Crops and open pasture cover over 95 percent of the watershed. Stream bank erosion is very heavy throughout its length since severe flooding is commonplace during the spring thaw and after periods of heavy precipitation. Most of the lowland areas adjacent to the stream are in firm pasture while the uplands are usually cropped. Woodlands are scarce throughout. Silt and gravel are the most common bottom types. The sport fishery consists of fair to good smallmouth bass and catfish populations. There is also a large population of forage fishes. Brown Branch, a tributary, is a managed brown trout stream. Game assets include pheasants and squirrels on the uplands and ducks, muskrats, raccoon and woodcock on the lowlands. Approximately four miles of stream are in the Spafford Creek Public Hunting and Fishing Grounds which are private lands leased by the Division of Conservation. Public access to the stream is possible within this area.

Spafford Creek, T1N, R5E, Sections 10-8, Surface acres = 10.8, Miles 7.5, Gradient = 5.3 feet per mile, Total alkalinity = 295 mg/l, Volume of flow = 10.7 cfs.

From: Piening, Ronald; Poff, Ronald; Threinen, C.W., 1967. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Lafayette County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date 1967

Author Aquatic Biologist

Spafford Creek, Lower Pecatonica River Watershed (SP07) Fish and Aquatic Life

Spafford Creek, Lower Pecatonica River Watershed (SP07) Recreation

Spafford Creek, Lower Pecatonica River Watershed (SP07) Fish Consumption

Condition

Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.

Reports

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments

Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment

Management Goals

Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions [Learn more]. Waters that do not meet water quality standards are considered impaired and restoration actions are planned and carried out until the water is once again fishable and swimmable

Management goals can include creation or implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, a Nine Key Element Plan, or other restoration work, education and outreach and more. If specific recommendations exist for this water, they will be displayed below online.

Monitoring

Monitoring the condition of a river, stream, or lake includes gathering physical, chemical, biological, and habitat data. Comprehensive studies often gather all these parameters in great detail, while lighter assessment events will involve sampling physical, chemical and biological data such as macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish communities integrate watershed or catchment condition, providing great insight into overall ecosystem health. Chemical and habitat parameters tell researchers more about human induced problems including contaminated runoff, point source dischargers, or habitat issues that foster or limit the potential of aquatic communities to thrive in a given area. Wisconsin's Water Monitoring Strategy was recenty updated.

Grants and Management Projects

Project Name (Click for Details)	Year Started

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
915600	Spafford Creek	10014193	Spafford (atWayne Genter Rd)	9/9/2014	9/9/2014	Map	Data
915600	Spafford Creek	333059	Spafford Creek at Cth Dd	10/12/2006	5/23/2022	Map	Data
915600	Spafford Creek	10031544	Spafford Creek at Andrews Road	10/12/2010	1/1/2015	Map	Data
915600	Spafford Creek	333056	Spafford Creek at State Line Road	5/1/1975	7/30/1975	Map	Data
915600	Spafford Creek	10014155	Upper Spafford - (atCo Road Dd)			Map	Data
915600	Spafford Creek	333058	Spafford Creek - Bl Wood Andrews Ch	5/1/1975	7/30/1975	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Spafford Creek is located in the Lower Pecatonica River watershed which is 134.23 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (60.60%), grassland (30.40%) and a mix of forest (7.60%) and other uses (1.20%). This watershed has 333.90 stream miles, 40.87 lake acres and 274.90 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.However, all waters are affected by diffuse pollutant sources regardless of initial water quality. Applications for specific runoff projects under state or county grant programs may be pursued. For more information, go to surface water program grants.

Natural Community

Spafford Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem under the state's Natural Community Determinations.

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results and DNR staff valiation processes that confirm or update predicted conditions based on flow and temperature modeling from historic and current landscape features and related variables. Predicated flow and temperatures for waters are associated predicated fish assemblages (communities). Biologists evaluate the model results against current survey data to determine if the modeled results are corect and whether biological indicators show water quaity degradation. This analysis is a core component of the state's resource management framework. Wisconsin's Riverine Natural Communities.

Cool (Cold-Transition) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.

Cool (Cold-Transition) Headwaters are small, usually perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon (<10 per 100 m), transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.