Back to Watersheds of the Lower Wisconsin Basin Black Earth Creek watershed lies in western Dane County and the northeast corner of Iowa County. Agriculture dominates, although more rural subdivisions and residences occur closer to Madison and its western suburbs.
Wetlands are few and concentrated along the streams in the watershed.
The watershed is the site of an ongoing nonpoint source priority watershed project that is now in the implementation phase. The project is scheduled to be completed in 1997. There are also some industrial dischargers in the watershed and one landfill which is a Superfund cleanup site. Rapid urban development in the headwaters of Black Earth Creek has raised concerns that groundwater flow to the creek may decrease, affecting water quality and habitat. We do not, however, have adequate hydrogeologic information to judge the effects of increased municipal pumping on local groundwater flows or any threats to maintaining stream flow.