Kilbourn Road Ditch, Des Plaines River Watershed (FX01)
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Kilbourn Road Ditch, Des Plaines River Watershed (FX01)
Kilbourn Road Ditch (736900)
14.30 Miles
0 - 14.30
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.
Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater
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.
2021
Poor
 
This river is impaired
Chronic Aquatic Toxicity
Chloride
 
Kenosha, Racine
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.
No
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.
No
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.
Yes

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.
Restricted Aquatic Life
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
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

The source of Kilbourn Road Ditch is located about one-half mile east of IH 94-USH 41 in the southwest one quarter of Section 30, Township 3 North, Range 22 East, Town of Mt. Pleasant, Racine County. From there, the stream flows southerly along IH 94-USH 41 for about 12.6 miles, to its confluence with the Des Plaines River in the southwest one-quarter of Section 7, Township 1 North, Range 22 East, in the Village of Pleasant Prairie. The entire length of the stream is classified as perennial.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Kilbourn Road Ditch, Des Plaines River Watershed (FX01) Fish and Aquatic LifeKilbourn Road Ditch, Des Plaines River Watershed (FX01) RecreationKilbourn Road Ditch, Des Plaines River Watershed (FX01) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Kilbourn Road Ditch is a 14.3 mile long tributary to Des Plaines River running through Kenosha and Racine Counties. It was last monitored in 2005 and its current use is for fish and aquatic life and its attainable use is as a warm water sport fishery.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Impaired Waters

Kilbourn Road Ditch was evaluated in the 2022 cycle: chloride levels were above aquatic life toxicity thresholds. This stream was added to the 2022 Impaired Waters List.

Date  2022

Author  Ashley Beranek

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

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Des Plaines River Watershed Plan 2011 (FX01)
State of the Southeast Fox River Basin

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
VILLAGE OF BRISTOL: Pond A Restoration2002

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch10032015Kilbourn Creek betw 50th & 60th10/13/20095/18/2010MapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch10011239Kilbourn Road Ditch at Hwy K (49m Upstream)MapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch10008082Kilbourn Road Ditch - 53 M Upstream Burlington Rd (Hwy 142) 11/29/200011/29/2000MapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch10013651Kilbourn Road Ditch - 50m Upstream Of Braun Road10/19/200510/19/2005MapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch10051686Kilbourn Road Ditch at CTH A10/8/20182/25/2021MapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch305002Kilbourn Ditch - Radtke FillMapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch303045Des Plaines River at Cth K 2m (Bi)5/19/19795/19/1979MapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch303047Kilbourn Road Ditch at Cth K (Bi Sur)5/19/197910/13/2004MapData
736900Kilbourn Road Ditch10013692Kilbourn Road Ditch- Down Of Hwy 50MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Kilbourn Road Ditch is located in the Des Plaines River watershed which is 133.34 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (57.90%), suburban (11%) and a mix of wetland (8.90%) and other uses (22.30%). This watershed has 216.36 stream miles, 755.01 lake acres and 7,194.07 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, High 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

Kilbourn Road Ditch is considered a Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater 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) 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.