Water Detail - Hills Creek, Seymour Creek and Upper Baraboo River Watershed (LW24)

Hills Creek, Seymour Creek and Upper Baraboo River Watershed (LW24)

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Hills Creek (1288800)

Size

10 Miles

Segment

0 - 10

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, Coldwater

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

General Condition

Poor

This river is impaired

Impairments include

Degraded Biological Community

Pollutants include

Total Phosphorus

County

Juneau, Vernon

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.

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

Hills Creek, located in northeast Vernon County, flows in a southeasterly direction for 8.7 miles before reaching the West Branch of the Baraboo River downstream of Hillsboro in Juneau County. This stream has a gradient of 27 feet per mile and flows through agricultural lowlands and forested hills.

Hills Creek is not a classified trout stream. The most recent survey, conducted in 1987, documented numerous forage fish species. Instream habitat for trout was scarce. Silt and sand dominates the stream bottom and some gravel is found in the upper portions of the stream. A constant source of groundwater was indicated in the upper end of Hills Creek by the presence of watercress. Hills Creek has been stocked by WDNR with brown trout regularly since 1987.

Date 2002

Author Cynthia Koperski

Historical Description

Hills Creek, T14N, R1E, Section 24. Surface Acres = 8.0, Miles = 8.2, Gradient = 27.5 feet per mile.
This stream flows in a southeasterly direction and joins the South Branch Baraboo River in Juneau County. It has clear, hard water. A large number and variety of forage fish are present, including madtom, hornyhead chub, bigmouth shiner, creek chub, comron shiner and white sucker. Gravel and silt are the two most prominent bottom types. Other bottom materials include sand, rubble, hardpan, and bedrock in order of abundance. Several road crossings provide access. There are about 72 acres of adjoining wetland. Beaver are significant. Wood ducks nest along the stream, and migrant puddle ducks make some use of the water.

From: Klick, Thomas A. and Threinen, C.W., 1973. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Vernon County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date 1973

Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Hills Creek, Seymour Creek and Upper Baraboo River Watershed (LW24) Fish and Aquatic Life

Hills Creek, Seymour Creek and Upper Baraboo River Watershed (LW24) Recreation

Hills Creek, Seymour Creek and Upper Baraboo River Watershed (LW24) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

The 2018 assessments of Hills Creek showed continued biological impairment; new macroinvertebrate sample data exceeded the 2018 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use (i.e. at least one macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) average scored in the poor condition category). Based on the most updated information, no change in the existing impaired waters listing was needed.

Date 2017

Author Ashley Beranek

Impaired Waters

Hills Creek (1288800) was placed on the impaired waters list in 2014 for total phosphorus. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data exceed 2016 WisCALM listing criteria for the Fish and Aquatic Life use and biological impairment was observed (i.e. at least one 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

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
Fish Propagation Actions	2001

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
1288800	Hills Creek	633156	Hills Creek - Hills Creek	6/23/2003	10/23/2003	Map	Data
1288800	Hills Creek	10043660	Hills Creek HwyF & Hickory Rd	9/8/2014	9/8/2014	Map	Data
1288800	Hills Creek	633157	Hills Creek - (Bridge)	6/23/2003	8/20/2003	Map	Data
1288800	Hills Creek	10043661	Hills Creek HwyF & Young Rd	9/8/2014	9/8/2014	Map	Data
1288800	Hills Creek	10011088	Hills Creek - Hills Creek Station #1 60m Downstream Of Bridge On Cth F			Map	Data
1288800	Hills Creek	10011089	Hills Creek Station #2 Cth F at Mitchell Farm			Map	Data
1288800	Hills Creek	10030192	HIlls Creek at Hwy 33	6/11/2009	10/6/2015	Map	Data
1288800	Hills Creek	10010043	Hills Creek - Hills Creek Remap 170-X			Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Hills Creek is located in the Seymour Creek and Upper Baraboo River watershed which is 171.73 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (36.60%), grassland (33.40%) and a mix of agricultural (20.30%) and other uses (9.80%). This watershed has 414.62 stream miles, 124.03 lake acres and 4,637.96 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

Hills Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Coldwater 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) 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.

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