Watershed - Narrows Creek and Baraboo River (LW22)
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Narrows Creek and Baraboo River Watershed

Details

This watershed lies entirely within Sauk County. It includes the portion of the Baraboo River from Reedsburg to the west edge of Baraboo. Smallmouth bass fishing is considered a valuable asset to the watershed. The majority of the watershed is agricultural. Dairy farming is the dominant agricultural activity. Other major land cover in the watershed includes broad-leaf deciduous forest and grassland. There are a few wetland areas in the watershed.

Date  2002

Population, Land Use

The overall population in the watershed for 2000 was estimated to be around 12,500 people and population growth over the last decade was fairly high. Agriculture is the dominant land use in the Narrows Creek and Baraboo River Watershed with over 60% of the total area covered in farmland. Forest is the second largest land usage in the watershed covering around 29% of available space. Open water and space claim a little over four percent of the watershed’s total area and wetlands occupy over three percent. Suburban landscapes mark almost two percent of the watershed. Grassland and urban environments each cover less than one percent of the total area.

Date  2011

Nonpoint and Point Sources

The water quality and sport fisheries in the watershed are significantly affected by nonpoint sources of pollution. As a result, the watershed has been ranked as a high priority for nonpoint source pollution reduction. The primary sources of nonpoint pollution in the watershed are from barnyard runoff and manure spreading practices and manure storage in the watershed has occasionally been a problem. As a result of the significant impact of nonpoint source pollution on the watershed, the watershed was selected for a nonpoint source priority watershed project. The project is jointly sponsored by the DNR, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and the Sauk County Land Conservation Department. Watershed nonpoint source appraisal monitoring was completed in 1990 and 1991 and a plan detailing water quality and water resources goals of the project was approved in October 1992. So far, there has been a very high participation rate in the Narrows Creek priority watershed program. There are several permitted point source discharges in the watershed. The communities of Reedsburg, North Freedom, and Rock Springs discharge to the Baraboo River. The Hillpoint Sanitary District discharges to Hillpoint Creek and the Lime Ridge facility discharges to Narrows Creek. The Sauk County Health Care center discharges to a tributary of Narrows Creek. The one industrial discharge, Foremost Farms, discharges to the Baraboo River.

Date  2002