17.50 Miles
0 - 17.50
Warm Mainstem, Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm Mainstem
2023
Poor
Degraded Biological Community, Degraded Habitat
Total Phosphorus, Sediment/Total Suspended Solids
Jefferson
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Johnson Creek, in the Johnson Creek Watershed, is a 20.75 mile river that falls in Jefferson County. This river is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
Johnson Creek (846700) from the mouth to just south of Otto Lane was placed on the impaired waters list for sediment/total suspended solids in 2006 and total phosphorus in 2012. The TMDL for both pollutants was approved by the U.S. EPA in 2011. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, available biological data do not indicate impairment (i.e. no macroinvertebrate or fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scored in the "poor" condition category). Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date 2015
Author Aaron Larson
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
Recommendations
Educate and engage residents
The Village of Johnson Creek will sponsor a project involving Johnson Creek, Jefferson county. The goal of this project is to create a vision and conceptual design for a River Education Center. A consultant will be hired to assess and inventory resources that already exist and to engage the public and multiple stakeholders in this initiative for the purpose of building a program, support, and a non-profit partnering organization. Along with a final report from the consultant, project deliverables include: 1) two workshops and a public meeting; 2) formation of a non-profit River Partners group; 3) creation of a PowerPoint presentation and brochures; and 4) a map detailing the conceptual design.
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
Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10009895 | Johnson Cr. - Ranch Road | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10048081 | Jefferson Co. Johnson Creek bridge on Co HWY B 388 m north of Lake Dorothy Ln | 6/24/2016 | 6/24/2016 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10011206 | Johnson Creek At Switzke Road | 6/1/2003 | 9/10/2016 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10039260 | Johnson Creek at Marsh Rd | | | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10016992 | Johnson Cr. - Wright Rd. | 11/11/1988 | 11/11/1988 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10017119 | Johnson Creek - Coffee Rd. - Bridge Sample | 11/11/1988 | 11/11/1988 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10016388 | Johnson Creek - Highway 26 | 9/29/1998 | 9/29/1998 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10047211 | Johnson Creek Behind Historical Society | 9/10/2016 | 10/29/2022 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10021414 | Johnson Creek At Cth B In Johnson Creek | 10/17/2007 | 10/28/2023 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 283288 | Johnson Creek at Cattail Driver Near Farmington | 5/24/2001 | 10/18/2001 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10016058 | Johnson Creek - Ranch Road Bridge | 10/10/2002 | 10/21/2021 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10048080 | Jefferson Co. Johnson Creek bridge on Lake Dorothy Ln north of Co HWY B | 6/24/2016 | 6/24/2016 | Map | Data |
| 846700 | Johnson Creek | 10054167 | Johnson Creek at Saucer Rd | 6/3/2022 | 6/3/2022 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Johnson Creek is located in the Johnson Creek watershed which is 45.22 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (51.90%), wetland (20.60%) and a mix of grassland (14.80%) and other uses (12.70%). This watershed has 81.86 stream miles, 20.38 lake acres and 5,226.41 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Low for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available 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.
Johnson Creek is considered a Warm Mainstem, Warm 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.
Warm Mainstem waters are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with relatively warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.
Warm Headwaters are small, usually intermittent streams with warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and
river species are absent.