Assessments and recommendations for the Watershed. Taylor Creek - Sugar River Watershed Draft TWA Plan 2017

Taylor Creek and– Sugar River TWA WQM Plan 2017 (SP11) Presentation

Sugar River photo from Taylor Creek-Sugar River TWA project photo by James Amrhein

Sugar at Bellview (875300) photo by James Amrhein

10013320 Willow Creek Hwy 81 Bridge

Taylor Creek-Sugar River TWA (21-4) photo by James Amrhein

The goal of this Target Watershed Assessment (TWA) is to monitor the contemporary status of streams from two subwatersheds in the Lower Sugar River watershed, as well has evaluate the overall health of these watersheds. The DNR needs current fish, habitat, and macroinvertebrate data for streams in these watersheds. The data will be used to determine whether these streams are achieving their attainable use in order to update the watershed tables, list waters that are not meeting their attainable use, and assess the overall health of the watersheds as required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

The goal of this Target Watershed Assessment (TWA) is to monitor the contemporary status of streams from two subwatersheds in the Lower Sugar River watershed, as well has evaluate the overall health of these watersheds. The DNR needs current fish, habitat, and macroinvertebrate data for streams in these watersheds. The data will be used to determine whether these streams are achieving their attainable use in order to update the watershed tables, list waters that are not meeting their attainable use, and assess the overall health of the watersheds as required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

The goal of this Target Watershed Assessment (TWA) is to monitor the contemporary status of streams from two subwatersheds in the Lower Sugar River watershed, as well has evaluate the overall health of these watersheds. The DNR needs current fish, habitat, and macroinvertebrate data for streams in these watersheds. The data will be used to determine whether these streams are achieving their attainable use in order to update the watershed tables, list waters that are not meeting their attainable use, and assess the overall health of the watersheds as required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

The goal of this Target Watershed Assessment (TWA) is to monitor the contemporary status of streams from two subwatersheds in the Lower Sugar River watershed, as well has evaluate the overall health of these watersheds. The DNR needs current fish, habitat, and macroinvertebrate data for streams in these watersheds. The data will be used to determine whether these streams are achieving their attainable use in order to update the watershed tables, list waters that are not meeting their attainable use, and assess the overall health of the watersheds as required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.

Taylor Creek-Sugar River TWA (11-2) Photo by James Amrhein

Monitoring of phosphorus and nitrate concentrations in the streams of the Lower Sugar River should continue as funding and volunteer efforts allow.

The data will be used to determine whether these streams are acheiving their attainable use in order to update the watershed tables, list waters that are not meeting their attainable use, and assess the overall health of the watersheds as required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. The data, in conjunction with observations about watershed health, will be used to guide planning for improvements where needed. A newly formed watershed organization has been collecting water chemistry data from some streams in the watershed already.

The department should work with watershed organizations such as the Lower Sugar River Watershed Association on outreach efforts with landowners in the watershed, environmental programs in the Juda and Brodhead school districts, and research opportunities for harvestable buffers to provide economic incentives for maintaining buffers along streams.

The entire length of OK Creek should be added to the state’s 303(d) list of impaired waters due to habitat degradation caused by excessive sediment deposition and channel straightening. It should also be added for total phosphorus as concentrations exceed the WisCALM (WDNR, 2013) guidance. The department should review land use and nutrient management efforts in this sub-watershed to determine if any improvements can be made to reduce phosphorus delivery to the stream.

Swan Creek should be added to the 303(d) list of impaired waters for phosphorus that exceeds the criteria. Taylor Creek, from Swan Creek downstream to the Sugar River and Willow Creek should be added as a watch waters as total phosphorus concentrations are near the criteria for listing.

Monitoring of phosphorus and nitrate concentrations in the streams of the Lower Sugar River should continue as funding and volunteer efforts allow.

Monitoring of phosphorus and nitrate concentrations in the streams of the Lower Sugar River should continue as funding and volunteer efforts allow.

The entire length of OK Creek should be added to the state?s 303(d) list of impaired waters due to habitat degradation caused by excessive sediment deposition and channel straightening. OK Creek should also be added to the impaired waters list for total phosphorus as concentrations exceed the WisCALM (WDNR, 2018) guidance.The department should review land use and nutrient management efforts in this sub-watershed to determine if any improvements can be made to reduce phosphorus delivery to the stream.

Swan Creek should be added to the 303(d) list of impaired waters for phosphorus that exceeds the criteria.

Taylor Creek, from Swan Creek downstream to the Sugar River and Willow Creek should be added as a watch water since total phosphorus concentrations are near the criteria for listing.