Water Detail - Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01)

Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01)

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Richland Creek (889200)

Size

13.50 Miles

Segment

21.61 - 35.11

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.

Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, 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.

2016

General Condition

Poor

This river is impaired

Impairments include

Impairment Unknown

Pollutants include

Total Phosphorus

County

Green

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.

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

From: Poff, Ronald J., and C.W. Threinen, Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Green County, Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison I, 1961.

Richland Creek is classified as an Exceptional Resource Water for its entire length in Green County and considered a good smallmouth bass fishery. The stream originates east of Monroe and flows south into Illinois where it eventually joins the Pecatonica River. It is managed as a warm water sport fishery. Although the last monitoring conducted in 1988 on the stream indicated fair to good water quality based on the HBI, the stream suffers from sedimentation and lack of habitat due to non-point source pollution and streambank pasturing. The stream has not been monitored in recent years.

Date

Author Aquatic Biologist

Overview

Richland Creek is classified as an Exceptional Resource Water for its entire length in Green County and considered a good smallmouth bass fishery. The stream originates east of Monroe and flows south into Illinois where it eventually joins the Pecatonica River. It is managed as a warm water sport fishery. Although the last monitoring conducted in 1988 on the stream indicated fair to good water quality based on the HBI, the stream suffers from sedimentation and lack of habitat due to non-point source pollution and streambank pasturing. The stream has not been monitored in recent years.

Date 2002

Author Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Bush, D.M., R. Cornelius, D. Engle, and C.L. Brynildson. 1980. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Green County, 2nd Edition. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, Wisconsin.

This medium sized, warmwater stream originates east of Monroe and flows southward into Illinois where it meets the Pecatonica River. Numerous tributaries enter the stream and there are several small ponds in its headwaters. The creek runs primarily through permanent pasture and consequently, suffers heavy bank erosion. Small arounts of fencing and riprapping have been completed in TlN, R8E, S7. Instream vegetation consists of Ranunculus and Elodea, but bank and other instream cover are negligible. Muck and silt are the primary bottom types, although gravel, rubble and boulders can be found in a few steep places. The water is usually very turbid The fishery of Richland Creek is managed for smallmouth bass and catfish and its bass fishing is considered some 01 the county's best. Bluegills, brown bullheads and numerous forage fish are also present. A significant muskrat population inhabit the stream and migratory waterfowl make occasional visits. There is no public frontage,
but access is available from 13 public road crossings.

Fish Species:Central stoneroller, carp, hornyhead chub, common shiner, common shiner x unknown hybrid,bigmouth shiner, rosyface shiner, sand shiner, suckermouth minnow, southern redbelly dace, bluntnose minnow, fathead minnow, blacknose dace, creek chub, common shiner x hornyhead chub hybrid, common shiner x rosyface shiner hybrid, white sucker, northern hog sucker, golden redhorse, shorthead redhorse, black bullhead, brD!lill bullhead, channel catfish, stonecat, brook stickleback, green sunfish, orangespotted sunfish, bluegill, smallmouth bass, fantail darter, Johnny darter.Surface Acres = 24.5, Length = 12.0 Miles, Gradient = 15 ft./mi., Base Discharge = 26.9 cu. ft./sec.

Date 1980

Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Historical Description

From: Poff, Ronald J., and C.W. Threinen, Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Green County, Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison I, 1961.

Flows generally southwest into Illinois; numerous tributaries. Managed for forage fish at present, but thought to maintain a considerable population of smallmouth bass. Many minnows are harvested each year by bait dealers. Normally carries heavy silt load; most of the watershed is either cropped or pastured. Very little bank cover is afforded as the stream flows through open meadows exposing bare earth banks. Surface Acres= 27.6, Miles= 25.0, Gradient= 10.4 FT per mile

Date 1961

Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) Fish and Aquatic Life

Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) Recreation

Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

Richland Creek (889200) was added to the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2014. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, available biological data did 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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List

Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments

Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment

An Assessment of Water Quality in The Richland Creek Sub-Watershed

The Richland Creek Sub-Watershed Fish data

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

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
889200	Richland Creek	10031713	Richland Creek upstream from Middle Juda Road	10/7/2010	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10044849	Richland Creek - downstream of STH 11	1/1/2015	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10047076	RICHLAND CREEK- START 90M UPSTREAM OF HADDINGER RD	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10022365	Richland Creek Upstream From Sth 11/81	12/3/2007	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10031549	Richland Creek at Five Corners Road	10/7/2010	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10017016	Richland Creek - Blumer Rd.	10/29/1987	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10044853	Richland Creek - Upstream of WI/IL Border	1/1/2015	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10044851	Richland Creek - Haddinger Rd	1/1/2015	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10016506	Richland Creek - Advance Rd.	10/20/1987	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10013100	Richland Creek-Cth P Bridge Upstream 660 M To Shueyville Rd. Bridge	10/20/1987	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10022363	Richland Creek At Greenbush Road	12/3/2007	3/7/2011	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10031712	Richland Creek - Upstream from confluence with Little Richland Creek	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10044852	Richland Creek - Shueyville Rd	1/1/2015	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10044763	Richland Creek--Town Center Road	1/1/2015	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10044850	Richland Creek - CTH K	1/1/2015	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10031548	Richland Creek at Montgomery Road	10/7/2010	4/20/2016	Map	Data
889200	Richland Creek	10012774	Richland Creek (S. Of Middle Juda Rd)	12/3/2007	1/1/2015	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Richland Creek is located in the Honey and Richland Creeks watershed which is 80.09 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (67.70%), grassland (22.20%) and a mix of suburban (4.40%) and other uses (5.60%). This watershed has 195.33 stream miles, 16.47 lake acres and 117.89 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

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

Natural Community

Richland Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, 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) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to 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.