Watersheds of Illinois - 1996

7. Pecatonica River Watershed

The Pecatonica River Watershed covers a total of 509,675 acres in Winnebago, Stephenson, Jo Daviess, and Carroll counties. The largest city in the drainage is Freeport (25,840). Major streams which comprise the Pecatonica River Watershed include the Pecatonica River, Yellow Creek, Raccoon Creek, Rhule Creek, Sugar River, Summer Creek, Richland Creek, and Waddams Creek. A total of 407 stream miles were assessed on the Pecatonica River and its tributaries. Overall resource quality is "good" on 294 stream miles (72%), and "fair" conditions exist on 113 stream miles (28%). The primary causes of water quality problems are nutrients and organic enrichment (low dissolved oxygen) attributed to municipal point source pollution and agriculture. A total of three lakes covering 348 acres were also assessed in the watershed. Overall resource quality is "good" on 40 acres (11%) and "fair" on 308 acres (89%). The primary causes of water quality problems are nutrients and noxious aquatic plants attributed to agriculture.

Pecatonica River

The Pecatonica River (PW) flows for 69 stream miles. Of these stream miles, 16 miles have overall resource quality which is rated as "good." The remaining 53 stream miles have "fair" conditions. Water quality problems are mainly due to nutrients from agriculture.

Rhule Creek

A total of four stream miles were assessed for overall resource quality on Rhule Creek (PWC). Nutrients from agriculture were the main cause of "fair" conditions found in the four stream miles of the creek.

Yellow Creek

Twenty-two stream miles of the total 50 stream miles of Yellow Creek (PWN) had "good" conditions and 28 stream miles were assessed as "fair." The primary causes of water quality problems are nutrients from agriculture.

Lake Le-Aqua-Na

Lake Le-Aqua-Na (RPA), located in Stephenson County, is a state-owned lake managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The lake was created in 1955 by damming Waddams Creek. It has a surface area of nearly 40 acres and a rather large watershed of 2,348 acres. The overall resource quality of Lake Le-Aqua-Na is considered to be "good." Causes of pollution to the lake include nutrients, siltation, and noxious aquatic plants. Sources include agriculture and shoreline erosion. Lake Le-Aqua-Na has been the site of a number of monitoring and restoration projects to help improve the resource. Management activities conducted at the lake included watershed protection, lake aeration, weed harvesting, and shoreline erosion control.

Lake Summerset

Lake Summerset (RPI) in Stephenson County is a privately-owned organizational lake managed by the Lake Summerset Association. The lake was created in 1970 by damming Otter Creek. The lake is 285 acres and receives water from its 4,500 acre watershed. The overall resource quality of Lake Summerset is considered to be "good." Causes of pollution to the lake include nutrients, siltation, and noxious aquatic plants. The primary source of pollution is agriculture. Farmers in the watershed are voluntarily working with the Lake Summerset Association to help protect the watershed area and, therefore, the quality of the lake resource.