Calamus Creek (Wisconsin) facts for kids

Calamus Creek is a small stream, or tributary, located in southeastern Wisconsin in the United States. It's about 23.7 miles (38.1 km) long. This creek flows into the Beaver Dam River. From there, its water eventually joins the Crawfish River, then the Rock River, and finally the mighty Mississippi River. Most of the land that drains into Calamus Creek is in Dodge County, with a tiny part in Columbia County.

Where Calamus Creek Flows

Calamus Creek starts in the western part of Dodge County. It begins near the crossing of Mt. Pleasant and Van Buren roads. The creek then takes a very winding path, generally flowing towards the east through Dodge County. It empties into the Beaver Dam River about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Beaver Dam. This meeting point is close to the intersection of County Roads J and G. Along its journey, thirteen smaller streams flow into Calamus Creek.

The Creek's Surroundings

The area around Calamus Creek is mostly countryside. There are no big cities or villages directly along its path. The creek's watershed, which is the land area that drains water into the creek, is mainly within the town of Calamus. U.S. Route 151 crosses through this area. Also, a part of the Union Pacific Railroad called the Adams subdivision runs nearby.

The Land Around Calamus Creek

The region around Calamus Creek is mostly used for farming. You can also find some wetlands, grassy areas, and forests. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) calls this land type the Beaver Dam drumlins. A drumlin is a long, oval-shaped hill made of dirt and rocks left behind by glaciers.

How the Land Was Formed

These landforms were created during the Wisconsin Ice Age. This was a time when huge sheets of ice, called glaciers, covered much of North America. As the glaciers moved, they shaped the land. They left behind "till plains," which are flat areas of soil and rocks, and "terminal moraines," which are ridges of debris pushed by the glacier's front edge. The soil here is mostly well-drained silt over a sandy, lime-rich layer.

Original Plants and Animals

Before people settled here, the area was covered by different types of plants. These included white oak, black oak, and bur oak trees. There were also marsh and sedge meadows, wet prairies, and low-growing shrubs.

Size of the Watershed

Calamus Creek is part of a larger water system called the Upper Rock River Basin. The streams that make up the Calamus Creek watershed stretch for about 57.33 miles (92.26 km). This watershed covers an area of about 30.18 square miles (78.16 km²), which is about 19,315 acres. Within this area, five unnamed lakes cover 54.39 acres. There are also many wetlands, covering about 3,627.39 acres.

Protecting Calamus Creek

The watershed of Calamus Creek has many important wetlands. Some of these wetlands are currently being restored to their natural state. Parts of Calamus Creek are special "nursery waters" for smallmouth bass. This means young smallmouth bass live and grow there. However, as of 2010, the creek's condition for fish and other water life was rated as poor.

Water Quality Challenges

The entire creek is listed as "impaired." This means its water quality isn't good enough to support the plants and animals it should. The main problem is nonpoint source pollution. This type of pollution comes from many different places, not just one pipe. For Calamus Creek, it's mostly from sediment (dirt) and other tiny particles floating in the water. Because the water quality is poor, a plan is needed to improve it. This plan, called a "total maximum daily load" plan, is still being developed.

Efforts to Improve the Creek

Dodge County has received grants to help protect and improve its lakes. These grants also cover the part of the Calamus Creek watershed that is in Dodge County. There are also several areas managed by the DNR that are working to restore habitats created by glaciers.