E. Br Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01)
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E. Br Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01)
E. Br Richland Creek (889500)
5.81 Miles
0 - 5.81
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.
2015
Good
 
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.
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.
No

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.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.
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

This stream rises in Green County near the state line and flows into Richland Creek in Illinois. Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) monitoring from 1988 indicated that the stream had good water quality. The ozark minnow and slender madtom have been found in this stream. The stream has not been revisited recently to determine the contemporary status.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

East Branch Richland Creek, located in southeast Crawford County, flows for 2.5 miles in a southwesterly direction before reaching Richland Creek just south of Plugtown. This stream has a gradient of 61 feet per mile and drains steep forested hillsides with some agriculture found in the valleys. East Branch Richland Creek is not a classified trout stream.

The most recent biological survey, conducted in July 1989, documented brown trout and numerous minnow species. East Branch Richland Creek was last stocked in the fall of 1989 with brook trout. A fish and habitat survey of East Branch Richland Creek should be conducted to determine the success of the brook trout stocking and a possible change in stream classification. Access to this stream is from three road crossings.

Date  2001

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

This stream rises in Green County near the state line and flows into Richland Creek in Illinois. Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) monitoring from 1988 indicated that the stream had good water quality. The ozark minnow and slender madtom have been found in this stream. The stream has not been revisited recently to determine the contemporary status.

Date  1988

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.

Beginning near the ~Jisconsin-Illinois border. this small warmwater stream flows southwest into Illinois and joins Richland Creek. It experiences moderate bank erosion as it flows mainly through pasture and hardwood forest. Silt. muck and gravel are the primary bottom types. but bedrqck. boulder and rubble are also pr~sent. The water is clear.
Richland Cree~~ast Branch has a c!-iverse forage species fishery, dominated by the central stonero.ller. In addition, the endangered Ozark minnow and the rare slender madtom are both found in the stream. ~Iildlife values are limited to muskrats, and public access consists of three town road crossings.
Fish Species: Central stoneroller, stoneroller x southern redbelly dace hybrid, Olark minnow, hornyhead chub common shiner, common shiner x southern redbelly dace hybrid, bigmouth shiner, suckermouth minnow, southern redbelly dace, bluntnose minnow, fathead minnow, creek chub, common shiner x hornyhead chub hybrid, white sucker, slender madtom, stonecat, brook stickleback, green sunfish, fantail darter, Johnny darter.
Surface Acres = 1.8, Length = 3.0 Miles, Gradient = 25 ft./mi., Base Oischarge = 4.4 cu. ft./sec.

Date  1980

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

E. Br Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) Fish and Aquatic LifeE. Br Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) RecreationE. Br Richland Creek, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) 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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
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

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
889500East Branch Richland Creek10016857East Br. Richland Cr. - Freeport Rd.10/22/198110/28/1987MapData
889500East Branch Richland Creek10012763East Branch Richland Creek -(atFive Corner Rd)10/22/19811/1/2015MapData

Watershed Characteristics

East Branch 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.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

E. Br Richland Creek 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.

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