Kettle Moraines

Northern Long-Eared Bat and Rusty patched bumble bee, both federally endangered, have ranges overlapping Kettle Moraines, along with threatened Eastern prairie fringed orchid. No designated critical habitat overlaps the area; species presence here is based on range mapping, not observation.

Ashippun River is listed on Wisconsin's 2026 303(d) impaired waters list (Category 5P) for Total Phosphorus impairment, with no EPA-approved TMDL yet in place. The river requires development of a restoration plan to reduce total phosphorus loading and allow it to meet water quality standards.

A Band-winged Meadowhawk was observed at Preserve Park Drive in Watertown on October 2, 2026. This dragonfly's presence in early October indicates continued availability of clean, well-oxygenated aquatic habitat that supports pollution-sensitive aquatic insect development in the ecosystem's water bodies.

A Flathead Catfish was observed in Waukesha on October 3, 2026. This invasive piscivore is established in Wisconsin's Fox and Wolf River drainages and has been documented preying on native fish and invertebrates, causing declines in native populations, including federally listed species.

White snakeroot was observed in bloom on September 30 in Hubertus. The species has been the most frequently recorded plant in the area over the past month, with 18 sightings. This late-season bloom is typical for the native fall-flowering Asteraceae, extending through autumn as temperatures remain above normal.

Eastern redbud was observed fruiting and shedding seeds on October 2. Ripe fruits and recent fruit drop indicate the tree is in its normal late-season phenological phase as the growing season closes.

The Oconomowoc WWTP station 1 km away recorded mean daily highs 2.9°F above normal and mean daily lows 4.2°F above normal over the past 30 days, with September rainfall 0.6 in below normal. The warmth combined with below-normal precipitation intensifies moisture stress in an already abnormally dry landscape.

A Northern Sunfish was observed in Wisconsin on August 26, 2026. This threatened freshwater fish is documented in the watershed where conditions have supported dolomitic geology providing the stable habitat these fish require.

Four odonate species were observed in recent weeks including a Spotted Spreadwing on September 18, 2026 in Oconomowoc. Dragonflies and damselflies require clean, well-oxygenated aquatic habitats and their presence in late summer indicates the ecosystem is supporting aquatic insect development.

Giant mayflies (Hexagenia limbata) were observed three times in Wisconsin between August 25 and September 18, most recently in Oconomowoc waters. These pollution-sensitive larvae need clean, well-oxygenated water and their presence indicates habitat conditions suitable for oxygen-demanding aquatic invertebrates.