3 Miles
0 - 3
Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Headwater
2024
Poor
Degraded Biological Community
Total Phosphorus
Dodge
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Cambra Creek, a small stream tributary to Fox Lake, is relatively clear due to extensive filtering and buffering by adjacent cattail-dominated wetlands. However, extensive farming within the sub-watershed is very likely delivering nutrients and sediment to Fox Lake. Carp use the shallow and extensive fringe wetlands adjacent the stream and lake.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Land Use
The Cambra Creek Subwatershed is located in the northwest portion of the Beaver Dam River watershed. It consists of 14,900 acres or 8% of the entire watershed area. This subwatershed is comprised of 86% cropland and 14% noncropland. The Cambra Creek subwatershed contains a number of wetlands that are drained by ditches. Cambra Creek
drains to the east into Fox Lake.
Date 2018
Author Lisa Helmuth
General Condition
The Cambra Creek subwatershed, located west of Fox lake, is a large watershed with many small tributaries and extensive wetland areas. The stream bottom is primarily silt and muck and the water is turbid. lnstream habitat quality is poor and high nutrient levels exist.
Date 2018
Author Lisa Helmuth
Impaired Waters
Cambra Creek (836200) has been listed for Total Phosphorus since 2012. This water was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; 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).
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
Recommendations
Objectives are to increase water quality, reduce sediment delivery by approximately 50% and reduce organic loading into the surface water by 73%. Improve wildlife and fish habitat and protect and restore wetlands.
Date 1994
Author Lisa Helmuth
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 |
|---|
| 836200 | Cambra Creek | 143026 | Cambra Creek - Near Randolph WI | 7/21/1991 | 10/3/2022 | Map | Data |
| 836200 | Cambra Creek | 10032592 | Cambra Creek at T13N-R13E section 20 | | | Map | Data |
| 836200 | Cambra Creek | 10047676 | Fox Lake -- Fishery Area Public Boat Access | 8/10/2023 | 8/10/2023 | Map | Data |
| 836200 | Cambra Creek | 10035859 | Cambra Creek - Area of Open Water | 7/1/2010 | 9/17/2012 | Map | Data |
| 836200 | Cambra Creek | 143322 | Cambra Creek - Cambra Creek (At Cth A) | 4/19/2005 | 11/4/2024 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Cambra Creek is located in the Beaver Dam River watershed which is 290.25 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (62.90%), wetland (13.80%) and a mix of grassland (9.50%) and other uses (13.90%). This watershed has 421.30 stream miles, 3,607.03 lake acres and 29,349.96 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available 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.
Cambra Creek (Canada) 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.