Dane County Watersheds

raindrops
  • What is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that drains its water to the lowest point, a common outlet at a stream, lake or wetland.
  • How is water quality affected? On its way to the common outlet, water travels over the land surface including farm fields, forest land, urban areas or it seeps into the soil and moves as groundwater. Every land use activity in a watershed can affect its water quality.

Dane County Watershed Map

Dane County Watershed Locator

Dane County Watershed and Basin Map

Watershed Associations, Friends Groups, and Other Natural Resources Groups
(compiled by the Dane County Office of Lakes and Watersheds)

General Watershed Statistics

Watershed Name Size (acres)
Allen Creek and Middle Sugar River 24,554
Badfish Creek 41,849
Black Earth Creek 66,326
Gordon Creek 30,792
Lake Wisconsin 14,244
Little Sugar River 6,011
Lower Crawfish River 8,519
Lower Koshkonong Creek 45,350
Maunesha River 56,126
Mill and Blue Mounds Creek 22,851
Roxbury Creek 38,199
Six Mile and Pheasant Branch Creeks 76,513
Upper Koshkonong Creek 66,362
Upper Sugar River 66,310
W. Branch Sugar River/Mt. Vernon Creek 66,310
Yahara River and Lake Kegonsa 66,894
Yahara River and Lake Mendota 54,415
Yahara River and Lake Monona 61,643