Water Detail - Mud Creek, Upper Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR12)

Mud Creek, Upper Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR12)

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Mud Creek (810300)

Size

10.05 Miles

Segment

0 - 10.05

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 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

General Condition

Poor

This river is impaired

Impairments include

Impairment Unknown

Pollutants include

Total Phosphorus

County

Dane

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.

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.

WWFF

Overview

Mud Creek is a ditched tributary to Koshkonong Creek. Historically, the creek wove through interconnected wetlands, some supporting northern pike spawning. Many of these wetlands have been drained for agriculture. Agricultural polluted runoff is the primary threat to existing water quality. Surveys in 1984 and 1988 show the stream receives an abundant silt load from agricultural fields, reducing aquatic and fish habitat. The stream also exhibits extreme flow fluctuations after major storms. The stream was classified as an intermediate surface water, supporting a limited forage fishery, but was reclassified as a warm water forage fishery in 1988, indicating water quality improvement.

Date 2002

Author Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Mud Creek (Village of Deerfleld) T7N, RI2E, Sec. 23, Surface acres = 2.2, Length = 9 miles, Stream order = II, Gradient = 6.0 ft/mile, Base discharge = 0.1 cfs.
Mud Creek is a ditched drainage stream in the eastern part of the county, tributary to Koshkonong Creek. The watershed once consisted of many interconnected wetlands, but in the early 1900's, farmers organized to straighten the stream and drain the wetlands. The watershed is now primarily agricultural (Johnson 1976). Ground water recruitment is low, causing fluctuations in flow and water levels. Water quality is average. The Village of Deerfield discharges treated wastewater and storm sewer effluent to Mud Creek through a small trlbutory. Agricultural runoff and siltation also contribute to pollution in the stream. Mud Creek is inhabited primarily by forage species. In the past, northern pike were observed moving up Mud Creek to spawn in the wetlands adjoining the stream (Poff and Threlnen 1962), but it is not known if this still occurs. The fishery could be improved through better soil conservation practices in the watershed and improvement in the quality of discharge from the Deerfield treatment plant. Access is avaIlable at eight road crossings and through Koshkonong Oreek.
FIsh species: northern pike, central mudminnow, common carp, brassy minnow, blackchin and blacknose shiner, northern redbelly dace, bluntnose and fathead minnow, creek chub, and fantail and Johnny darter.

From: Day, Elizabeth A.; Grzebieniak, Gayle P.; Osterby, Kurt M.; and Brynildson, Clifford L., 1985. Lake and Stream Classification Project. Surface Water Resources of Dane County. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI

Date 1985

Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Mud Creek, Upper Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR12) Fish and Aquatic Life

Mud Creek, Upper Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR12) Recreation

Mud Creek, Upper Koshkonong Creek Watershed (LR12) Fish Consumption

Impaired Waters

Mud Creek was evaluated in the 2022 cycle: phosphorus levels were above listing thresholds as outlined in 2022 WisCALM. This stream was added to the 2022 Impaired Waters List.

Date 2022

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

Koshkonong Creek Targeted Watershed Assessment: A Water Quality Plan to Restore Wisconsin Watersheds

2019 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Mud Creek - Mud Creek At Hilcrest Rd

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

2018 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Mud Creek - Mud Creek At Hilcrest Rd

Targeted Watershed Assessment Evaluation of the Koshkonong Creek Watershed Monitoring Report (2016)

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

NC Verification, Mud Creek at Evergreen Drive, 10045031, 2016

Natural Community Verification, Mud Creek at Hilcrest Road, 10010963, 2016

Natural Community Verification, Mud Creek at STH 73, 10046988, 2016

Mud Creek, Mud Creek - Mud Creek At Hilcrest Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Mud Creek, Mud Creek at STH 73, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Recommendations

Restore Wetlands

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 Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
5035959	Unnamed	10047425	Wetland [ID 13423694203]			Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	10045031	Mud Creek at Evergreen Drive	1/1/2015	1/1/2015	Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	10047425	Wetland [ID 13423694203]			Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	10010963	Mud Creek - Mud Creek At Hilcrest Rd	10/28/2004	10/12/2024	Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	10046988	Mud Creek at STH 73	1/1/2015	10/24/2016	Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	133032	Mud Creek at confluence w/ un. trib Deerfield			Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	10010962	Mud Creek - Mud Creek At London Road			Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	133029	Mud Creek - Above Deerfield Trib			Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	133030	Mud Creek - Below Deerfield Trib			Map	Data
810300	Mud Creek	10031596	Mud Creek at STH 12	10/25/2010	1/1/2015	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Mud Creek is located in the Upper Koshkonong Creek watershed which is 104.25 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (58.60%), grassland (11.80%) and a mix of wetland (9.90%) and other uses (19.60%). This watershed has 176.17 stream miles, 157.76 lake acres and 6,145.17 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

Mud Creek is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, 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) 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.