Water Detail - Allen Creek, Lower Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR11)

Allen Creek, Lower Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR11)

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Allen Creek (813300)

Size

7.52 Miles

Segment

0 - 7.52

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.

Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm 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.

2024

General Condition

Good

County

Jefferson, Rock

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.

Yes

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

Rock River Water Quality Management Plan, Lower Rock River Appendix. WT-668-2002. South Central Region, WDNR.

Allen Creek This creek is an exceptional resource water with good ecological diversity and the least darter, a species on the special concern list. Wetlands adjacent the stream and near the Rock River provide northern pike spawning habitat. A large area of regulated wetlands buffers the stream. Many tributaries to Allen Creek have been ditched, increasing sediment loads. Polluted runoff from streambank pasturing in the creek's lower reaches and steep slopes contribute sediment and nutrient-laden runoff to the stream and eventually Lake Koshkonong.

Road salt runoff from State Highway 26 affects the creek. Past road construction on State Highway 26 deposited sediment in the stream channel downstream of the Highway 26 bridge. The proposed construction of a Highway 26 bypass around Fort Atkinson may adversely affect water quality if construction site erosion control measures are not adequately sited, installed and maintained.

Date 2002

Author Aquatic Biologist

Allen Creek, Lower Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR11) Fish and Aquatic Life

Allen Creek, Lower Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR11) Recreation

Allen Creek, Lower Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR11) 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

AIS finds on Allen Creek (Jefferson County)

Koshkonong Creek Targeted Watershed Assessment: A Water Quality Plan to Restore Wisconsin Watersheds

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

Targeted Watershed Assessment Evaluation of the Koshkonong Creek Watershed Monitoring Report (2016)

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments

Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment

Recommendations

Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring

Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.

Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring

Communities and the DNR can use this water quality information to make decisions that affect the management of streams throughout Wisconsin.

Partnership Project

The purpose of the Friends of Allen Creek Watershed Inc. is to preserve and protect the Allen Creek Watershed and also to educate others and ourselves about the unique resources located in the basin. The two main areas the group has identified are: 1) Due a comprehensive baseline study encompassing all aspects of the watershed from aquatic to terrestrial resources and recent history to geologic history, and 2) build additional members and educate current membership in an effort to become a more efficient and successful organization.

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
FRIENDS OF ALLEN CREEK WATERSHED, INC.: A Hidden Gem...Allen Creek Watershed	2005
Allen Creek at Town of Koshkonong, Amacher	2006
Allen Creek at Town of Koshkonong, Bleecker	2006
Allen Creek Town of Koshkonong, Merriman's	2006

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
813300	Allen Creek	10010253	Allen Creek - Allen Cr 44m Upstream Business Hwy 26	7/1/1992	1/1/2015	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10010888	Allen Creek At Star School Rd (Poeppel Rd)	7/1/1992	1/3/2022	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	283209	Allen Creek - Near Ft Atkinson			Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10010887	Allen Creek - Allen Creek At Mcintyre/Poeppel Rd. - Upstream Xing	5/15/1997	9/16/2015	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10040457	Allen Creek at CTH K	5/2/2005	11/12/2005	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10012579	Allen Creek Town Of Koshkonong Merriman's	4/22/2006	1/1/2015	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10012575	Allen Creek in Koshkonong at bike path	8/11/2004	8/28/2017	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10037476	Allen Creek at confluence with unnamed trib (WBIC-5037840) north of Star School Road	5/16/2012	10/13/2024	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10010918	Allen Creek - Allen Creek At Creamery Road			Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10048499	Allen Creek at Glacial River Bike Path			Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10010942	Allen Creek - Allen Creek At Cth K			Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10012578	Allen Creek Town Of Koshkonong Bleecker	5/26/2004	1/1/2015	Map	Data
813300	Allen Creek	10007620	Allen Creek at Star School Rd (Poeppel Rd)			Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Allen Creek is located in the Lower Koshkonong Creek watershed which is 265.61 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (54.20%), wetland (11.60%) and a mix of grassland (10.50%) and other uses (23.70%). This watershed has 283.47 stream miles, 1,735.65 lake acres and 18,171.94 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Medium 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.This water is ranked High Stream for individual Rivers based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.

Natural Community

Allen Creek is considered a Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm 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 (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are 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.