Bingham Creek, Little Roche A Cri Creek Watershed (CW01)
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Bingham Creek, Little Roche A Cri Creek Watershed (CW01)
Bingham Creek (1351400)
8.42 Miles
0 - 8.42
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-Warm Mainstem, 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.
2024
Excellent
 
Adams
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.
WWFF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent forage 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

Bingham Creek is classified as a forage fishery. A cranberry marsh lies near Bingham Creek below Unnamed Lake (T18N, R6E, Sec.21). Biotic index sampling in 1979 indicated very good and excellent water quality. However, this data is quite old and the stream should be resampled as resources allow.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Bingham Creek, T18N, R6E, Section 29 Surface Acres= 5.6, Miles = 5.4
A clear, hard water stream that flows in a southwest direction and is a tributary of Carter Creek. Sand and silt are the dominant bottom types. Forage fish species constitute the fishery, but northern pike may be present seasonally. Beaver are present and wood ducks nest along the stream. A cranberry reservoir is located on the stream, There are no adjoining public lands. Access is possible from several road crossings and by boat from tile reservoir.

From: Klick, Thomas A. and C.W. Threinen. 1966. Surface Water Resources of Adams County: Lake and Stream Classification Project. Wisconsin Conservation Department, Madison, WI.

Date  1966

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Bingham Creek, Little Roche A Cri Creek Watershed (CW01) Fish and Aquatic LifeBingham Creek, Little Roche A Cri Creek Watershed (CW01) RecreationBingham Creek, Little Roche A Cri Creek Watershed (CW01) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Bingham Creek (WBIC 1351400) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new temperature sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.

Date  2017

Author  Ashley Beranek

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 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
CW01 Little Roche-A-Cri mIBI Report
Little Roche A Cri WT 2010 Dams & Outfalls
Little Roche A Cri WT 2010 Land Use
Little Roche A Cri WT 2010 Map
Little Roche a Cri WT 2010 OERW & Impaired Waters
Little Roche a Cri Watershed Plan 2010 (CW01)
Adams County Surface Water Resources 1966

Recommendations

Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.

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
Bingham Creek at 8th Dr2008
Bingham Creek at 11th Ave 2009

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
1351400Bingham Creek10013244Bingham Creek-Upstream Of 11th AveMapData
1351400Bingham Creek10010996Bingham Creek at 8th Dr.10/8/200310/16/2024MapData
1351600Unnamed10000536Unnamed Lake (T18 R6E S22)7/27/19997/1/2010MapData
1351400Bingham Creek10021043Bingham Creek ~140m Upstream Cypress Ave. 6/23/20071/1/2015MapData
1351400Bingham Creek10010998Bingham Creek at Cypress Ave.10/8/20031/1/2015MapData
1351400Bingham Creek013033Bingham Creek at 11th Ave5/1/19799/29/2015MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Bingham Creek is located in the Little Roche A Cri Creek watershed which is 196.20 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (55.60%), agricultural (23.20%) and a mix of wetland (9.70%) and other uses (11.50%). This watershed has 108.40 stream miles, 12,554.07 lake acres and 18,156.97 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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

Bingham Creek is considered a Cool-Warm Mainstem, 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.

Fisheries & Habitat

Forage fish species constitute the fishery, but northern pike may be present seasonally. Beaver are present and wood ducks nest along the stream. A cranberry reservoir is located on the stream, There are no adjoining public lands. Access is possible from several road crossings and by boat from tile reservoir.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist