5.39 Miles
1.30 - 6.69
Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater, Cool-Warm Headwater
2024
Good
Rock
Yes
Yes
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Historical Description
From: Ball, Joseph R., and Ronald J. Poff, Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Rock County, Department of Natural Resources, 1970.
Surface Acres = 6.55, Miles = 5.4, Gradient = 29.6 feet per mile.
A spring fed stream flowing into Illinois just west of the City of Beloit. This stream was managed for trout up to 1955. Stocking was suspended due to habitat deterioration caused by stream straightening, land draining, and uncontrolled watershed runoff. Habitat improvement was initiated in 1966 and trout stocking was resumed. The stream is considered marginal trout water and is the only trout stream in Rock County. There are about 511 acres of adjoining fresh meadow wetland. Access is available from four town roads and one state highway crossing.
Date 1970
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
General Condition
East Fork Raccoon Creek was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (fish or macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) and temperature sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.
Date 2017
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
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.
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 |
|---|
| 874100 | East Fork Raccoon Creek | 10010905 | East Branch Raccoon Creek T1n R11e S16 | | | Map | Data |
| 874100 | East Fork Raccoon Creek | 10009953 | East Fork Raccoon Creek - N. Of Hwy 81 | 5/30/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 874100 | East Fork Raccoon Creek | 10009956 | East Fork Raccoon Creek at Beloit Newark Rd | 10/23/1987 | 8/8/2024 | Map | Data |
| 874100 | East Fork Raccoon Creek | 10009954 | East Fork Raccoon Creek - West Fork Of The East Raccoon Hwy 81 | | | Map | Data |
| 874100 | East Fork Raccoon Creek | 10009955 | East Fork Raccoon Creek - East Raccoon Spring Road | 1/1/1994 | 6/22/2017 | Map | Data |
| 874100 | East Fork Raccoon Creek | 10009952 | E. Fork Raccoon Creek at Lawrence St. | 10/28/1987 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
East Fork Raccoon Creek is located in the Lower Sugar River watershed which is 217.85 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (65.80%), grassland (16.90%) and a mix of forest (7.60%) and other uses (9.70%). This watershed has 467.98 stream miles, 202.10 lake acres and 6,999.03 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Low 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.
E. Fork Raccoon Creek is considered a Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater, 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.
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.