Elk River, Elk River Watershed (UC09)
Elk River, Elk River Watershed (UC09)
Elk River (2236500)
9.15 Miles
15.36 - 24.51
Natural Community
Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.
Cool-Warm Mainstem
Year Last Monitored
This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.
2020
Good
 
Price
Trout Water 
Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.
No
Impaired Water 
A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.
Supported Aquatic Life
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
Attainable Use
The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.
WWSF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.
Designated Use
This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.
Cold
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Overview

The Elk River supports a good warm water sport fishery and is heavily used. The
upstream part of the Elk River to the Musser Flowage is classified as a Class III trout
stream. but is affected by beaver. Some small farms lie along the river between Musser
Flowage and Duroy Lake, some small farms are located along the river. Once the Elk
River enters the Phillips chain of lakes, point sources become important, due to
historical and continuing discharge to Elk Lake by Phillips Wastewater Treatment Plant
and the Phillips Plating Corporation. The Elk River is an important tributary to the
South Fork of the Flambeau River.
Work in the 1970s and 1980s documented sediments contaminated by metals in Elk
Lake. The study noted phytoplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates accumulated
metals. However, this did not appear to extend up the food chain to fish. Metals have
also been transported downstream in the Elk River system, where they have been found
at elevated levels in the sediments in Lac Sault Dore (Smith 1983)
Little endangered resource inventory work has been done in this watershed. The Elk
River, as a major tributary to the South Fork of the Flambeau River, is important to
downstream endangered resources in the Flambeau.

Date  1996

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Elk River, Elk River Watershed (UC09) Fish and Aquatic LifeElk River, Elk River Watershed (UC09) RecreationElk River, Elk River Watershed (UC09) Fish Consumption

Condition

Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.

Reports

Recommendations

Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
Citizen-Based Stream Monitoring
Collect chemical, physical, and/or biological water quality data to assess the current overall stream health. The data can inform management decisions and may be used to identify impaired waters for biennial lists.
Restore Riparian Habitat
Price County is sponsoring a project to restore 250 feet of shoreline habitat along the Elk River. There is an unstable 25 foot face that is actively eroding and needs to be stabilized. Fish, wildlife habitat and water quality will be improved. Project goals: 1) Reduce sediment and nutrient delivery; 2) Reduce instream sedimentation to improve fish spawning habitat; 3) Restore shore land habitat for wildlife; 4) Improve water quality; 5) Protect existing resources.
Protect Riparian or Shorelands
Price County is sponsoring a project to restore 250 feet of shoreline habitat along the Elk River. There is an unstable 25 foot face that is actively eroding and needs to be stabilized. Fish- wildlife habitat and water quality will be improved. Project goals: 1) Reduce sediment and nutrient delivery; 2) Reduce instream sedimentation to improve fish spawning habitat; 3) Restore shore land habitat for wildlife; 4) Improve water quality; 5) Protect existing resources.

Management Goals

Wisconsin's Water Quality Standards provide qualitative and quantitative goals for waters that are protective of Fishable, Swimmable conditions [Learn more]. Waters that do not meet water quality standards are considered impaired and restoration actions are planned and carried out until the water is once again fishable and swimmable

Management goals can include creation or implementation of a Total Maximum Daily Load analysis, a Nine Key Element Plan, or other restoration work, education and outreach and more. If specific recommendations exist for this water, they will be displayed below online.

Monitoring

Monitoring the condition of a river, stream, or lake includes gathering physical, chemical, biological, and habitat data. Comprehensive studies often gather all these parameters in great detail, while lighter assessment events will involve sampling physical, chemical and biological data such as macroinvertebrates. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish communities integrate watershed or catchment condition, providing great insight into overall ecosystem health. Chemical and habitat parameters tell researchers more about human induced problems including contaminated runoff, point source dischargers, or habitat issues that foster or limit the potential of aquatic communities to thrive in a given area. Wisconsin's Water Monitoring Strategy was recenty updated.

Grants and Management Projects

Monitoring Projects

Watershed Characteristics

Elk River is located in the Elk River watershed which is 261.12 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (51.70%), wetland (37.40%) and a mix of grassland (4.70%) and other uses (6.20%). This watershed has 254.00 stream miles, 2,883.84 lake acres and 49,382.72 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Low for runoff impacts on lakes and Low for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Low. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.However, all waters are affected by diffuse pollutant sources regardless of initial water quality. Applications for specific runoff projects under state or county grant programs may be pursued. For more information, go to surface water program grants.

Natural Community

Elk River is considered a Cool-Warm Mainstem under the state's Natural Community Determinations.

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results and DNR staff valiation processes that confirm or update predicted conditions based on flow and temperature modeling from historic and current landscape features and related variables. Predicated flow and temperatures for waters are associated predicated fish assemblages (communities). Biologists evaluate the model results against current survey data to determine if the modeled results are corect and whether biological indicators show water quaity degradation. This analysis is a core component of the state's resource management framework. Wisconsin's Riverine Natural Communities.