CHAPTER 2 - Existing Resource Conditions
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Land & Water Resource Management Plan Rock County Land Conservation Department 2020 - 2030 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The development of Rock County’s Land and Water Resource Management Plan, 2019 involved a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of expertise. Their input was critical for the plans development and will continue to be important for achieving the goals of this Plan. Rock County Land Conservation Committee Richard Bostwick, Chair Alan Sweeney, Vice Chair Stephanie Aegerter Wesley Davis Brenton Driscoll Robert Potter James Quade, USDA-FSA Rep. Jeremy Zajac Rock County Land Conservation Department Tom Sweeney, County Conservationist Norman Tadt, Senior Conservation Specialist Chris Murphy, Conservation Specialist III Anne Miller, Conservation Specialist II Duane Collins, Conservation Specialist Mary Kubiak, Clerk Typist III Advisory Work Group Richard Bostwick, Chair Alan Sweeney, Vice Chair Andrew Baker, Planning and Development Dave Rebout, Rebout Farms Bill Barlass, Barlass Jerseys Jane Metcalf, Dairy and Grain Farmer George Andrew, Andrews Maple Hill Farms Patrick Mullooly, Ag Business Representative and Grain Farmer Brian Buenzow, Pheasants Forever Rick Wietersen, Rock County Public Health Department Dave Gundlach, NRCS Nick Baker, UWEX Tom Sweeney, LCD Anne Miller, LCD Chris Murphy, LCD Dale Gasser, DNR Lisa Trumble, DATCP Principle Contributors: Authors: Tom Sweeney, County Conservationist and Anne Miller, Conservation Specialist II i CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................... i Contents ................................................................................................................... ii List of Figures, Maps, and tables .......................................................................... iii PLAN SUMMARY .................................................................................................. v CHAPTER 1 - Plan Development and Participation ........................................... 1 CHAPTER 2 - Existing Resource Conditions ....................................................... 5 Background Information ................................................................................................................. 5 Lower Rock River Basin - Surface water and groundwater ......................................................... 25 Rock River .................................................................................................................................... 26 Turtle Creek Watershed (HUC 10, 0709000214) ......................................................................... 27 Keith Creek (HUC 10, 0709000501) ............................................................................................ 31 City of Beloit – Lower Rock River (HUC 10, 0709000215) ........................................................ 33 Blackhawk Creek Watershed (HUC 10, 0709000211) ................................................................. 36 Bass Creek Watershed (HUC 10, 0709000212) ........................................................................... 39 Lake Koshkonong – Rock River (HUC 10, 0709000210) ............................................................ 42 Marsh Creek – Rock River (HUC 10, 0709000213) .................................................................... 46 Lake Kegonsa-Yahara River (HUC 10, 0709000209) .................................................................. 48 Badfish Creek (HUC 10, 0709000208) ........................................................................................ 51 Whitewater Creek (HUC 10, 0709000202) .................................................................................. 54 Sugar-Pecatonica Rivers Basin –Surface water and groundwater ................................................ 56 Sugar River ................................................................................................................................... 57 Raccoon Creek (HUC 10, 0709000315) ....................................................................................... 57 Taylor Creek – Sugar River (HUC 10, 0709000407) ................................................................... 60 Sylvester Creek – Sugar River (HUC 10, 0709000406) ............................................................... 63 Allen Creek Watershed (HUC 10, 0709000403) .......................................................................... 65 Other Natural Resources and Related Concerns ........................................................................... 68 CHAPTER 3 - Conservation Programs: Current, Future, and Past ............... 76 Current Programs .......................................................................................................................... 76 Future Programs ............................................................................................................................ 82 Past Programs................................................................................................................................ 82 CHAPTER 4 - Regulatory Requirements in Rock County ............................... 84 Local Ordinances .......................................................................................................................... 84 Policies .......................................................................................................................................... 85 NR 151 Implementation Strategy for Agricultural Performance Standards: ................................ 86 NR 151 Performance Standards Implementation Strategy - Non-Agricultural ............................ 89 ii CHAPTER 5 - Monitoring and Evaluation ......................................................... 93 CHAPTER 6 - Information and Education ......................................................... 95 CHAPTER 7 - Plan Implementation ................................................................... 97 Appendix A - Abbreviations & Glossary ........................................................... 102 Appendix B – Impaired Waters List .................................................................. 107 Appendix C – Soil Loss Summary, 2011 Transect survey ............................... 111 Appendix D – Watershed Map Used in Previous Plans .................................. 112 Appendix E – Land Use by Watershed (HUC 10) ............................................ 113 Appendix F – Agricultural Conservation Practices ......................................... 114 Appendix G - Summary of Wisconsin Runoff Pollution Abatement Rules ... 115 Appendix H – Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DNR & Rock County LCD .......................................................................................................... 116 Appendix I – Notice of Public Meeting .............................................................. 130 LIST OF FIGURES, MAPS, AND TABLES Figure 1. Population growth in Rock County, 1974 - 2018. ........................................................... 5 Figure 2. Number of farms in Rock County, 1987 – 2017. ............................................................ 6 Figure 3. Age groups of Rock County producers. ........................................................................ 6 Map 1. Physiographic regions of Rock County. ............................................................................. 7 Map 2. General soils map for Rock County. .................................................................................. 9 Map 3. Major basins and surface waters of Rock County. .......................................................... 11 Map 4. Sub-watersheds (HUC 10) and impaired waters (DNR; listing in Appendix B).............. 12 Map 5. Rock River TMDL area and sub-watersheds (DNR reach). ............................................. 15 Map 6. Wetlands in Rock County. ................................................................................................ 18 Map 7. Soil attenuation potential in Rock County. ...................................................................... 20 Map 8. Depth to groundwater and bedrock in Rock County. ....................................................... 20 Map 9. Nitrate well sampling results from 2009 - 2019. .............................................................. 22 Map 10. Turtle Creek watershed.. ................................................................................................. 28 Map 11. Turtle Creek groundwater nitrates. ................................................................................. 31 Map 12. Keith Creek watershed.................................................................................................... 32 Map 13. Keith Creek groundwater nitrates. .................................................................................. 33 Map 14. City of Beloit - Lower Rock River watershed. ............................................................... 34 Map 15. City of Beloit - Lower Rock River groundwater nitrates. .............................................. 35 Map 16. Blackhawk Creek watershed. ......................................................................................... 36 iii Map 17. Blackhawk Creek groundwater nitrates. ......................................................................... 39 Map 18. Bass Creek watershed. .................................................................................................... 40 Map 19. Bass Creek groundwater nitrates.