Hefty Creek, South Branch, Little Sugar River Watershed (SP14)
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Hefty Creek, South Branch, Little Sugar River Watershed (SP14)
Hefty Creek, South Branch (882000)
4.04 Miles
0 - 4.04
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.
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.
2021
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.
Cold
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.
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 small creek is a Class III trout stream but low flow and lack of instream cover limit the stream’s trout potential (Surface Waters of Green Co.). The stream fauna mainly consists of cold water forage species (Bush, pers comm). The stream has not been monitored recently.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

This small stream flows eastward, merges with Hefty Creek and forms the Little Sugar River West Branch. As it flows through cropland and pasture, the stream suffers heavy bank erosion. The upper portions are clear with a gravel and rubble bottom, while in the lower portions, the water is turbid with a muck, silt and sand bottom. Aquatic vegetation consists of watercress and filamentous algae.

All of Hefty Creek South Branch is regarded as a Class III trout stream, but low flow and the lack of instream cover limit the stream's trout potential. Current management consists of stocking with yearling brown trout, although rainbow trout have been periodically stocked in the past. Forage fish are also present. Wildlife values are minimal. Access to the creek is limited to one public road crossing.

Fish Species: Rainbow trout, brown trout, common shiner, southern redbelly dace, creek chub, white sucker, brook stickleback, Johnny darter, mottled sculpin.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, Wisconsin. Surface Acres = 2.0, Length = 3.3 Miles, Gradient = 25 ft./mi., Base Discharge = 4.7 cu. ft./sec 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.

Date  1980

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Hefty Creek, South Branch, Little Sugar River Watershed (SP14) Fish and Aquatic LifeHefty Creek, South Branch, Little Sugar River Watershed (SP14) RecreationHefty Creek, South Branch, Little Sugar River Watershed (SP14) 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
Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment
South Branch Hefty Creek (882000) 2014 Draft Impaired Waters Documentation Sheet DH
Final Report on the Assessment of Water Quality in the LIttle Sugar River Watershed (2011)

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 Actions2001

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
882000South Branch Hefty Creek10034013South Branch Hefty Creek at CTH N10/10/20114/21/2021MapData
882000South Branch Hefty Creek233033Hefty Creek - South Br Ab Twn Hall ChMapData
882000South Branch Hefty Creek233035Hefty Creek - South Br Bl Twn Hall ChMapData
882000South Branch Hefty Creek10033909South Branch Hefty Creek at farm crossing along CTH C1/1/20151/1/2015MapData

Watershed Characteristics

South Branch Hefty Creek is located in the Little Sugar River watershed which is 133.02 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (46.80%), grassland (32.10%) and a mix of forest (13.90%) and other uses (7.00%). This watershed has 351.74 stream miles, 50.40 lake acres and 3,252.10 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked 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

Hefty Creek, South Branch is considered a 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.