Water Detail - Sugar Creek, Sugar and Honey Creeks Watershed (FX05)

Sugar Creek, Sugar and Honey Creeks Watershed (FX05)

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Sugar Creek (752100)

Size

26.33 Miles

Segment

0 - 26.33

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, 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.

2022

General Condition

Poor

This river is impaired

Impairments include

Impairment Unknown

Pollutants include

Total Phosphorus

County

Walworth

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

Sugar Creek, in the Sugar and Honey Creeks Watershed, is a 26.33 mile river that falls in Walworth County. This river is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.

Date 2011

Author Aquatic Biologist

Sugar Creek, Sugar and Honey Creeks Watershed (FX05) Fish and Aquatic Life

Sugar Creek, Sugar and Honey Creeks Watershed (FX05) Recreation

Sugar Creek, Sugar and Honey Creeks Watershed (FX05) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

Sugar Creek (752100) was placed on the impaired waters list in 2012 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, however, available biological data do not indicate impairment (i.e. no 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

Sugar Creek at Hodges Road Natural Community Verification Report

Sugar Creek at Potter Road Natural Community Verification Report

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List

Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

Sugar Creek, Sugar Creek US of Hodunk Rd Bridge, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Sugar Creek, Sugar Creek at Foster Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Sugar Creek, Sugar Creek1atHodges Rd.(45-50m Upstream), Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Sugar Creek, Sugar Creek at Hargraves Rd Bridge, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Sugar Creek, Sugar Creek at Potter Road, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Sugar Creek at Foster Rd fish survey

Sugar Creek

Sugar River at Hodunk

Sugar Creek at Hodges Rd

Sugar Creek at Potter Rd.

Sugar Creek at Hargraves Rd.

Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments

Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment

State of the Southeast Fox River Basin

Recommendations

Monitor Water Quality or Sediment

2008 - 2016 TP: May Meet. AU: 10488 (entire stream). Station 10029083. Potential TP delisting in 2020.

Monitor Water Quality or Sediment

Category 5P. 2018 TP Results: May Meet. Station: 10029083. AU: 10488.

Restore Wetlands

Nine Key Element Plan

Sugar/Honey Creek PWS Plan - Nine Key Element Plan - The Sugar/Honey Creek Priority Watershed Project plan assesses the nonpoint sources of pollution in the Sugar/Honey Creek Watershed and guides the implementation of nonpoint source control measures. These control measures are needed to meet specific water resource objectives for the Sugar and Honey Creek and its tributaries. The purpose of this project is to reduce the amount of pollutants originating from nonpoint sources that reach surface water and groundwater within the Sugar/Honey Creek Priority Watershed Project area.

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
Wetland Restoration Database	2016
Monitoring Recommendations Stemming from CWA / IR Listings	2000
Sugar/Honey Creek PWS Plan - Nine Key Element Plan	1997

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653202	Sugar Creek at Cth H 1m (Bi Sur)	5/23/1979	10/26/1979	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653221	Sugar Creek - Sc-1 Sugar Cr Downstream	6/2/1981	9/14/1982	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653250	Sugar Creek at Hodunk Rd	7/11/1995	11/2/1995	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10008064	Sugar Creek - 2 - Upstream Potters Road	11/16/1995	11/16/1995	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653225	Sugar Creek - Sc-C Sugar Cr - P-Dn	8/20/1981	10/20/1999	Map	Data
5578717	Unnamed	10051097	Sugar Creek at Unnamed (5578717) Lake	5/6/2018	9/15/2018	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10029083	Sugar Creek at Potter Road	8/26/2008	5/26/2022	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10038543	Sugar Creek at HWY 120 Bridge	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653102	Sugar Creek at Cth Dd			Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653204	Sugar Creek at Potters Rd 3m (Bi)	5/23/1979	11/2/1995	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653222	Sugar Creek - Sc-Z Sugar Cr Upstream	6/2/1981	5/17/1982	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653223	Sugar Creek - Sc-A Sugar Cr - P-Up	8/20/1981	12/9/1981	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653228	Sugar Creek - Sc-F Sugar Cr - B-Dn	11/14/1995	12/1/1995	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10029548	Sugar Creek at Hargraves Rd Bridge	1/1/2015	10/28/2016	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10008063	Sugar Creek - 1 - Upstream Hodunk Road	10/1/2003	10/1/2003	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653226	Sugar Creek - Sc-D Sugar Cr - B-Up			Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653203	Sugar Creek at Bowers Rd 2m (Bi)	5/23/1979	10/24/1979	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10051097	Sugar Creek at Unnamed (5578717) Lake	5/6/2018	9/15/2018	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10029549	Sugar Creek US of Hodunk Rd Bridge	1/1/2015	11/3/2016	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10032446	Sugar Creek at Us Hwy. 12			Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653101	Sugar Creek at Cth G			Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653235	Sugar Creek at Cth Dd	5/6/1992	12/21/1992	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653247	Sugar Creek at Foster Rd	7/11/1995	11/3/2016	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653249	Sugar Creek at Cth Es	7/11/1995	11/14/1995	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	653251	Sugar Creek at Hargrave Rd	7/11/1995	11/16/1995	Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10009267	Spring Brook 3 Upstream Of Hargraves Road			Map	Data
752100	Sugar Creek	10010450	Sugar Creek1atHodges Rd.(45-50m Upstream)	7/29/2016	11/3/2016	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Sugar Creek is located in the Sugar and Honey Creeks watershed which is 166.22 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (55.30%), forest (15.10%) and a mix of wetland (10.90%) and other uses (18.60%). This watershed has 208.62 stream miles, 1,943.12 lake acres and 9,489.18 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

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

Sugar Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, 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.

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.