Twin Grove Branch, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01)
Return to Search
Twin Grove Branch, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01)
Twin Grove Branch (891300)
5.96 Miles
0 - 5.96
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 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.
2015
Poor
 
This river is impaired
Degraded Habitat
Sediment/Total Suspended Solids
 
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.
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

Twin Grove Branch
Twin Grove Branch is located in southern Green County and is part of the Honey and Richland Creek watersheds.
Originating just east of the town of Twin Grove, the six-mile long stream flows westward and empties into Richland
Creek. The entire length of Twin Grove Branch is currently listed on the 303(d) list for degraded habitat resulting
from sedimentation due to agricultural non-point source pollution. Fish surveys from 1974 and 1976 found 17 species
of forage and minnow species between two different locations near the mouth of the stream. The most abundant
species found were central stonerollers, white sucker, and creek chub; however, the stream has not been monitored in
recent years. Twin Grove Branch currently supports a warm water forage fishery, but is believed to have the potential
to become a warm water sport fishery.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

This stream small warm water stream is listed on the state’s impaired waters (303d) list because of habitat and sedimentation impacts caused by agricultural non-point source pollution. The headwaters begin east of the town of Twin Grove and flows westward to Richland Creek. The creek has the potential to be a warm water sport fishery because of migration of fish from the larger Richland Creek. The stream has not been monitored in recent years.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

This stream small warm water stream is listed on the state **18** s impaired waters (303d) list because of habitat and sedimentation impacts caused by agricultural non-point source pollution. The headwaters begin east of the town of Twin Grove and flows westward to Richland Creek. The creek has the potential to be a warm water sport fishery because of migration of fish from the larger Richland Creek. The stream has not been monitored in recent years. 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.

Date  1961

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 small warmwater stream oriqinates east of Twin Grove and flows westward to Richland Creek. Several small
ponds lie near its headwaters. -Most of the creek runs through permanent pasture and suffers heavy bank erosion and moderate siltation. The water is clear however, and gravel and rubble dominate the substrate. Sand, boulders and hardpan are also present.
Twin Grov~ Branch is managed for forage fish although a few smallmouth bass, green sunfish and black bullheads can be found in the lower end. Wildlife values consist of a small population of muskrats. Public access is available from four road bridges. There is no other public frontage, but the stream flows through a nine
hole, privately owned golf course which is open to the public.
Fish Species: Central stoneroller, hornyhead chub, common shiner, bigmouth shiner, suckermouth minnow, southern redbelly dace, bluntnose minnow, fathead minnow, blacknose dace, creek chub, white sucker, black bullhead,
green sunfish, smallmouth bass, fantail darter, Johnny darter.
Surface Acres = 3.3, Length = 5.5 Miles, Gradient = 16 ft./mi., Base Discharge = 6.2 cu. ft./sec.

Date  1980

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Twin Grove Branch, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) Fish and Aquatic LifeTwin Grove Branch, Honey and Richland Creeks Watershed (SP01) RecreationTwin Grove Branch, 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
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
An Assessment of Water Quality in The Richland Creek Sub-Watershed
The Richland Creek Sub-Watershed Fish data
USEPA Decision Document for the Approval of the Sugar Pecatonica TMDL 875300
Sugar Pecatonica River Basin TMDLs 875300

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
891300Twin Grove Br10013082Twin Grove Branch 100 M Upstream Of Rahberger Rd. (Past Golf Course)MapData
891300Twin Grove Br10047833Twin Grove Branch at Twin Grove RoadMapData
891300Twin Grove Br10016358Twin Grove Br. - Cth P10/29/19877/21/2015MapData
891300Twin Grove Br233099Twin Grove Branch - Town Rd bridge below Jeffsn Ctr upstream Twin Grove Rd10/7/20101/1/2015MapData
891300Twin Grove Br233097Twin Grove Branch at Cth KMapData

Watershed Characteristics

Twin Grove Br 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

Twin Grove Branch is considered a Cool-Cold 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.

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.

More Interactive Maps
View Water in Alternative Map