Rock River Basin Of Wisconsin Overview
Fifteen thousand years ago during the Wisconsin Glaciation, ice covered the Rock River Basin. The continental glacier sculptured a rolling landscape that supported thickly wooded lands interspersed with oak-savannah prairies, large wetland complexes and numerous large and small lakes. Today, threading through this rich, ecologically diverse landscape is the Rock River and its major tributaries, the Crawfish, Beaver Dam, Oconomowoc, Bark, and Yahara rivers, and Turtle Creek. Basin Map (86KB pdf)
The Rock River Basin covers 3,777 square miles and is located in ten counties: most of Dodge, Dane, Rock and Jefferson and parts of Washington, Fond du Lac, Walworth, Columbia, Waukesha and Green Lake counties.
The Wisconsin portion of the Rock River basin has a population of about 790,000. Major urban centers include Madison, Janesville, Beloit and Oconomowoc. Smaller villages and cities include Jefferson, Waupun, Watertown, and Beaver Dam. The area is growing rapidly and urbanization is overtaking the once largely rural river basin. Outward expansion from the Madison and Milwaukee metropolitan areas account for most of the recent population growth. Urbanization pressure also comes from Chicago, Rockford, and the Fox Valley.
A community of many resources, Madison, was listed in Money Magazine as the number one 'most livable' city in the United States. It is the seat of state government, and the home of the world renowned University of Wisconsin. Several departments at the University play an important role in the Rock River Basin including Urban and Regional Studies, Landscape Architecture (sustainable communities), Nutrient and Pest Management Program and the Institute of Sustainable Agriculture.
Despite its urban centers, the Rock River Basin still remains largely rural in character. In 1997, about 2,780 square miles or 73% are agricultural. About 7% of the basin is wetlands and 1.6% is woodland. Residential uses now occupy about 460 square miles or 12% of the area. Commercial uses utilizes 5% of the region while industry and manufacturing utilizes 0.5%.
The agricultural base is primarily dairying and cash cropping. Agricultural lands in the basin are among the most productive in the state. Agriculture also supports a rich variety of related industry including canning companies (Stokely, Seneca Foods, Friday Canning, Del Monte), implement manufacturers (John Deere), meat packers (Oscar Mayer and Johnsonville Brats) and others (Friskies, Dean Foods, Grande Cheese).
The Rock River Basin, one of the headwater streams of the Mississippi, originates just north of the internationally renowned Horicon Marsh, and culminates at the Illinois border. The basin contains rich farm country and small culturally diverse towns. Many small towns still strongly reflect the cultural roots of their early ancestors. While the larger cities of Madison, located in the western region of the basin, and the Milwaukee suburbs on the eastern edge reflect a broader diversity of historical settlement and contemporary immigration/relocation.
On the east, the basin's configuration was shaped by the Niagara Escarpment, a dolomite bedrock outcropping. Towards the center of the basin, an internationally recognized glacial feature, an extensive field of drumlins, long, low egg-shaped hills, highlights the uniqueness of the area. Towards the southeastern area of the basin lies the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. This area is the ancient junction of two glacier lobes that formed another region of unique glacial topography "the kettle and kame" area of Wisconsin.
The Rock River Basin is comprised of 28 watersheds ranging in land use from rural-agricultural to intensely urbanized. These watersheds include larger slow-moving, turbid water bodies, as well as cold water trout streams. The total stream length in the basin is 2325 miles.
Over 150 lakes and impoundments dot the basin's post-glacial terrain. The economically, historically and environmentally important Madison area lake complex of Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, Kegonsa and Wingra lies within the basin as do many other lakes including Koshkonong, Beaver Dam, Pike, Oconomowoc, Rock, Okauchee, Whitewater and Delevan. Because these lakes are located in the southern, most densely populated area of Wisconsin, they are heavily used for boating, fishing and swimming and are an important economic asset to the region. Most of these lakes are impacted by runoff pollution from agricultural and urban land uses. As a result, most have impaired water quality which affects recreational use and the lakes potential to fully contribute to the basin's economy. The fisheries in the basin's waterways are predominantly warm water fishery species: bluegill, crappie, perch, large- and smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, northern pike carp and bullheads.
Surface water quality in the Rock River Basin water bodies ranges from poor to good. Only a few water bodies have excellent quality. Twenty-one streams or stream segments have been listed with the EPA as Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) streams, because of the heavy impacts from urban and/or agricultural pollutants. These are targeted for intensive study and restoration efforts.
The primary sources of water quality problems are urban and rural nonpoint pollution. The principal water quality pollutants are nutrients, sediment, pesticides, herbicides and in more urbanizing areas, heavy metals and other toxic pollutants. In addition many areas are experiencing storm water runoff problems associated with increased quantity of runoff. Besides traditional water quality problems associated with agricultural and urbanization, basin-wide hydrologic modifications such as dams, straightening of streams, and ditching and draining of wetlands significantly contribute to lower water quality in the basin.
Hydrogeologic groundwater resources supply all the drinking water systems, municipal and private, for people in the basin. In some areas surface water contamination reaches these aquifers contaminating groundwater. The most important regional groundwater source for public water supplies is the sandstone aquifers. Protecting these irreplaceable groundwater aquifers is of primary interest to state and local governments.
Notable Environmental/Ecological Resources of the Rock River Basin
At the basin's north end, lies the state and federally owned 30,000 acre Horicon Marsh which, because of its unique geological history and great wildlife diversity (266 species of birds including many rare or endangered species), has been designated as a "Wetland of International Importance" by the Ramsar Convention; a "Globally Important Bird Area" by the American Bird Conservancy; and as one of the nine units of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve by the National Park Service. In 1998, trumpeter swans, a listed rare species will be introduced into the marsh.
Currently in the basin about 230,000 acres of wetlands remain, including such unusual types as calcareous fens and bogs. Conservatively over fifty percent of the original wetlands are gone. Numerous federal, state and local programs are working to restore all feasibly restorable wetlands.
The unique glacial topography of drumlins, kettles, kames and moraines are a national treasure and a notable environmental and economic resource of the area.
The Rock River culminates at the Mississippi, which is a major public drinking water source and important economic and recreational national asset. As a large headwater basin of the Mississippi, protecting water quality in the Rock River is critical to helping clean up the Mississippi River.
At the far southern end of the basin the Rock River flows into northwestern Illinois. Because of the intensive agricultural land use in Illinois and lost natural habitat, the Rock River's riparian corridor is considered a critical "oasis" for resting and feeding migratory birds.
Twelve stream or stream segments in the Rock River Basin are named a Wisconsin Exceptional Resource Waters (ERW) and are afforded additional environmental protection as they have excellent water quality and valued fisheries. Rock Lake is designated as an Outstanding Resource Water (ORW) because of its excellent water quality and high quality fisheries.
Notable Cultural/Historical Resources
Every major prehistoric Indian culture known to Wisconsin has been represented in the archaeological record at Horicon Marsh. The river basin is also home to Aztalan State Park, designated a National Landmark in 1964; is one of the nation's premier archaeological sites: the northern most outpost of the Cahokia mound building civilization near St. Louis.
Wisconsin archaeological records indicate that areas of the Rock River Basin were inhabited by the Woodland culture 3000 years ago. These people were 'mound builders' who left their mark on the landscape near waterways by building effigy mounds shaped in the forms of birds and animals. At one time the mounds were prolific, numbering more than 1,500 in Jefferson County alone. Many effigy mounds remain in the area: Dodge County still has more than 500 effigy mounds near water sources and Beloit College in Rock County has 22 effigy mounds on their 40 acre campus.
The Ho-Chunk, Sauk, Fox and Potowatomi inhabited the Rock River corridor and the surrounding countryside. These tribes used this area as a summering ground until the time of the infamous Black Hawk War. The Madison area is seeing a resurgence of Native American culture and art. The near shore area of Upper Mud Lake is the home of artist Harry Whitehorse. After the Black Hawk war in 1832, European settlers came in droves. With its undammed rapids, the river was seen as a source of unlimited power for turning mill wheels - new industries were born. The growing river corridor communities of today have their historic roots in early river commerce. By the late 1840's most of southeastern Wisconsin was settled. The dairy industry of Wisconsin was a direct outgrowth of the early economic growth. The farm fields of southeastern Wisconsin were played out after years of wheat growing and cinch bug infestations. At the urging of William D. Hoard, resident of Jefferson County and later governor of Wisconsin farmers turned to dairying and began rotating crops. By the turn of the century Wisconsin lead the nation as 'the Dairy Capitol'.
The arts and architecture have important legacies within the basin: Frank Lloyd Wright, internationally known architect, designed a number of buildings in the Madison area including the recently completed Monona Terrace Convention and Community Center. It nestles on the banks of Lake Monona, a glorious example of integrated human design and natural beauty. The community of Waupun, known as the 'City of Sculptures', collects traditional bronze sculptures. One of their famous pieces is James Earl Fraser's 'End of the Trail', representing the plight of the Native American culture. While Siah Armanjani, sculptor, captured and preserved the past by turning the historical Beloit railroad bridge into a local park attraction, the 'Woods Fishing Pier'..
Notable Economic Factors
From its headwaters near the City of Waupun to the state line in the City of Beloit, the Rock River and its tributaries are a central focus of community redevelopment. Riverfront improvements aimed at revitalizing or enhancing blighted urban areas (particularly brownfields) are completed or are planned in most riverfront communities. Many of these projects are further enriched by new and enhanced parks and open spaces. These areas are now more attractive and accessible to low income and elderly citizens that have little access to natural areas outside of the city. Many landowners living adjacent to the projects responded to the improvements by transforming dilapidated properties into more attractive, economically viable concerns. The new small businesses, housing units and office complexes increased municipalities' tax base, revitalized urban areas, and increased pride in area communities.
Some of the more notable projects include:
- $12 million has been spent on the Beloit Riverfront Project. This was done through broad public and private support including: $4 million private, $4 million TIF (Tax Incumbered Financing) and $4 million state. The three mile riverwalk was constructed in the core of the city in a previously blighted urban area. As a direct result of this project a new Riverfront Rotary Center was constructed; an abandoned pumphouse was transformed into a new convention and visitor's center, and an additional $10 million was invested in new development. The Riverfront Festival brings 75,000 to 80,000 people to the area annually.
- Janesville has committed 16.5 million for riverfront revitalization with another 16.5 million spent by private businesses and organizations.
- In Watertown's first phase of the Rock River Boardwalk, a $213,000 trail and observation deck was constructed, the second phase will need an additional investment by the community of $450,000. Another $270,000 was spent on the nearby downtown for enhancements.
- The City of Jefferson redeveloped a blighted site into a park, walkway and office space at an investment of $400,000
- The City of Waupun has converted an old riverside industrial site into park space.
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