Overview

Long Lake is a 3,290-acre drainage lake in southeastern Washburn County at the headwaters of the
Brill River. Ths large lake is irregularly shaped and consists of numerous bays, which sometimes
edubit different water quality characteristics. The Long Lake Preservation Association recently
formed, but has been extremely aggressive in its involvement in lake management activities. The
lake has at least five locations where water quality monitoring data would be desirable and
volunteers have been monitoring lake water clarity at these locations since 1991. Two were selected
for monitoring at the TSI level of the Self-Help Lake Monitoring Program in 1992.
The lake association was awarded a lake management planning grant in March, 1994, and extensive
water quality data and watershed information has been collected. Preliminary results indicate the
lake has high water quality, with TSI values of 42 to 48.
This hgh quality aquatic resource is classified as an outstanding resource water under the provisions
of Chapter NR 102.10 of the Wis. Adrn. Code. The lake is susceptible to any increase in
phosphorus loading and should receive a high priority for protection management

Date  1996

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

A hard water, drainage lake on the headwaters of the Brill River. The estimated normal flow of the lake outlet is 38 cubicfeet per second. The fishery of Long Lake includes walleye, northern Pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, perch, black crappie, pumpkinseed, rock bass, bullhead, cisco, white suckers, and bowfin. Long Lake is the largest lake in the county, and only four other lakes are deeper than Long Lake in Washburn County. The lake depth however is increased nine feet by the water control structure on its outlet. The structure is owned by Washburn County. As its name implies, the lake's shape is linear, but it is also U-shaped in that it has an arm extending to the northeast as well as the main lake body extending to the northwest. Several streams and other lakes contribute water flow to Long Lake and include Slim Creek, the two Twin and Devil Lakes, Mud Lake, Little Mud Lake, and a small unnamed tributary in Section 16 near Slim Creek.

Only five percent of the lake surface area is less than 3 feet deep, but 63 percent of the lake has depths of 0ver 20 feet. Long Lake lies in a steep-sided valley and much of the lakeshore slopes steeply. Five percent of the lakeshore is bordered by sedge meadow wetland and one percent has tamarack bogs. The remaining shore is mostly wooded upland. The littoral bottom is dominated by unsorted sand and gravel, with only 14 percent soft muck material along the bays and inlet streams. Twenty-six percent of the shoreline has private development on it, with 21 resorts, two boat rentals, 381 cottages and a boy scout camp. About 675 acres of wetlands border the lake. Muskrats and beaver are common to the lake, along with nesting mallards, wood ducks, teal, coot, and loon. Other migratory waterfowl numbering several thousands also use the lake in spring and fall. There are four public accesses on the lake and 19 other undeveloped platted access sites, for a total of 0.29 mile of public frontage. The four access sites are located on the north side of the "narrows", on the west side off County Highway "M" near Kunz Island, on the east shore near the scout camp, and another off the town road in section 35, midway along the west shore. All of the five islands in the lake are privately owned. Source: 1978, Surface Water Resources of Washburn County Long Lake, T37, 38N, R1O, 11W, Section Several, Surface Acres-3,289.7, Maximum Depth-74 feet, M.P.A.-86 ppm, Secchi Disk-12 feet

Date  1978

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Impaired Waters

Long Lake (WBIC 2106800) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2014. The 2018 assessment showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use. Chlorophyll-a sample data only exceeded the FAL use threshold. Based on the most updated information, no change in the existing impaired waters listing was needed.

Date  2017

Author  Ashley Beranek

Impaired Waters

Long Lake (2106800) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2014. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use and chlorophyll data only exceeded FAL thresholds. Based on the most updated information, the impairment of Eutrophication was added to the total phosphorus listing.

Date  2015

Author  Aaron Larson

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

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

Long Lake is located in the Brill and Red Cedar Rivers watershed which is 297.68 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (49.40%), agricultural (20.30%) and a mix of grassland (10.70%) and other uses (19.60%). This watershed has 264.90 stream miles, 6,282.34 lake acres and 15,832.05 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Medium for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. 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.