Jefferson, Rock
No
Yes
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Rock River Water Quality Management Plan, Lower Rock River Appendix. WT-668-2002. South Central Region, WDNR.
Allen Creek This creek is an exceptional resource water with good ecological diversity and the least darter, a species on the special concern list. Wetlands adjacent the stream and near the Rock River provide northern pike spawning habitat. A large area of regulated wetlands buffers the stream. Many tributaries to Allen Creek have been ditched, increasing sediment loads. Polluted runoff from streambank pasturing in the creek's lower reaches and steep slopes contribute sediment and nutrient-laden runoff to the stream and eventually Lake Koshkonong.
Road salt runoff from State Highway 26 affects the creek. Past road construction on State Highway 26 deposited sediment in the stream channel downstream of the Highway 26 bridge. The proposed construction of a Highway 26 bypass around Fort Atkinson may adversely affect water quality if construction site erosion control measures are not adequately sited, installed and maintained.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
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
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.
Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Communities and the DNR can use this water quality information to make decisions that affect the management of streams throughout Wisconsin.
Partnership Project
The purpose of the Friends of Allen Creek Watershed Inc. is to preserve and protect the Allen Creek Watershed and also to educate others and ourselves about the unique resources located in the basin. The two main areas the group has identified are: 1) Due a comprehensive baseline study encompassing all aspects of the watershed from aquatic to terrestrial resources and recent history to geologic history, and 2) build additional members and educate current membership in an effort to become a more efficient and successful organization.
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 |
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813300 | Allen Creek | 10010253 | Allen Creek - Allen Cr 44m Upstream Business Hwy 26 | 7/1/1992 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10010888 | Allen Creek At Star School Rd (Poeppel Rd) | 7/1/1992 | 1/3/2022 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 283209 | Allen Creek - Near Ft Atkinson | | | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10010887 | Allen Creek - Allen Creek At Mcintyre/Poeppel Rd. - Upstream Xing | 5/15/1997 | 9/16/2015 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10040457 | Allen Creek at CTH K | 5/2/2005 | 11/12/2005 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10012579 | Allen Creek Town Of Koshkonong Merriman's | 4/22/2006 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10012575 | Allen Creek in Koshkonong at bike path | 8/11/2004 | 8/28/2017 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10037476 | Allen Creek at confluence with unnamed trib (WBIC-5037840) north of Star School Road | 5/16/2012 | 10/13/2024 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10010918 | Allen Creek - Allen Creek At Creamery Road | | | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10048499 | Allen Creek at Glacial River Bike Path | | | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10010942 | Allen Creek - Allen Creek At Cth K | | | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10012578 | Allen Creek Town Of Koshkonong Bleecker | 5/26/2004 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
813300 | Allen Creek | 10007620 | Allen Creek at Star School Rd (Poeppel Rd) | | | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Allen Creek is located in the Lower Koshkonong Creek watershed which is 265.61 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (54.20%), wetland (11.60%) and a mix of grassland (10.50%) and other uses (23.70%). This watershed has 283.47 stream miles, 1,735.65 lake acres and 18,171.94 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.This water is ranked High Stream for individual Rivers based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.