Impaired Water - Lake Winnebago (Lake Winnebago)
Calumet, Fond Du Lac, Winnebago County, Wisconsin
UF01, UF02, UF03, WATE
131100
131,941.62
Water is impaired due to one or more pollutants and associated quality impacts.
Notes
Lake Winnebago was put on the Impaired Waters List in the 1998 cycle for Total Phosphorus, Sediment/Total Suspended Solids, low Dissolved Oxygen, and excess algal growth. The lake was also impaired for Mercury and PCBs in fish tissue but these were delisted in the 2008 and 2018 cycles, respectively. Lake Winnebago has consistently been assessed for recreation and aquatic life uses every two-year cycle from 2012 to 2024. In the 2020 cycle it was also assessed as a drinking water source and is considered meeting that use.
This water is covered by the Upper Fox & Wolf River Basins TMDL, approved by the US EPA on February 27, 2020.
Listing Details
Pollutant
Sediment/Total Suspended Solids
Listed For
Fish and Aquatic Life
Impairments
Turbidity
Current Use
Unsupported Aquatic Life
Listing Status
TMDL Approved
Attainable Use
Default - Fish and Aquatic Life
Priority
Not Applicable
Designated Use
Default - Fish and Aquatic Life
303(d) ID
523
Listing Date
4/1/1998
Impaired Water Notes
Lake Winnebago was originally listed as impaired in 1998 for PCBs, total suspended solids, and mercury. 2010 Assessment Methodology resulted in eutrophication and "fair" assessment of lake. Public concern regarding poor lake aesthetics related to eutrophication that occur during the summer. This water was assessed during the 2012 listing cycle, and total phosphorus sample data exceed 2012 WisCALM listing criteria for the fish and aquatic life and recreation uses. Chlorophyll data from the period 2006-2010 were insufficient to assess per 2012 WisCALM. However, the previous assessments were carried forward, and the lake remains listed as impaired
Date
8/26/2011

Impaired Water Notes
This water is covered by the Upper Fox & Wolf River Basins TMDL, approved by the US EPA on February 27, 2020.
Date
3/4/2020

 
Pollutant
PCBs
Listed For
Impairments
NA
Current Use
Listing Status
Pollutant Removed
Attainable Use
Priority
Delisted 2018
Designated Use
303(d) ID
523
Listing Date
4/1/1998
Impaired Water Notes
New Data removes listing. 540 and 617 Wolf River/Winnebago Listings. Remove Hg from Impairments, only PCBs FCA and reach should be Wolf River from Shawano Dam downstream. These could really be included with a site that includes all of the Lake Winnebago Listings (Winnebago (523, drop Hg), Lake Winneconne (524, drop Hg), Poygan (373), Buttes Des Morts (64 drop Hg), Wolf upstream to Shawano (540 and 617, drop Hg), Fond du Lac (143), Upper Fox to Princeton Dam, Neenah Slough (308)). New data was collected from 2 Sites (2005 downstream of Hwy 29 Bybass, 2005 above Shawano).
Date
4/1/2008

Impaired Water Notes
Lake Winnebago was originally listed as impaired in 1998 for PCBs, total suspended solids, and mercury. 2010 Assessment Methodology resulted in eutrophication and "fair" assessment of lake. Public concern regarding poor lake aesthetics related to eutrophication that occur during the summer. This water was assessed during the 2012 listing cycle, and total phosphorus sample data exceed 2012 WisCALM listing criteria for the fish and aquatic life and recreation uses. Chlorophyll data from the period 2006-2010 were insufficient to assess per 2012 WisCALM. However, the previous assessments were carried forward, and the lake remains listed as impaired.
Date
8/26/2011

Impaired Water Notes
New fish tissue data indicates that this waterbody no longer needs a specific fish consumption advice for PCBS. This water should have its PCB listing removed.
Date
5/24/2017

 
Pollutant
Mercury
Listed For
Impairments
NA
Current Use
Listing Status
Pollutant Removed
Attainable Use
Priority
Delisted 2008
Designated Use
303(d) ID
523
Listing Date
4/1/1998
Impaired Water Notes
New data removes listing. Schrank: 540 and 617 Wolf River/Winnebago Listings. Remove Hg from Impairments, only PCBs FCA - reach should be Wolf River from Shawano Dam downstream. These could really be included with a site that includes all of the Lake Winnebago Listings (Winnebago (523, drop Hg), Lake Winneconne (524, drop Hg), Poygan (373), Buttes Des Morts (64 drop Hg), Wolf upstream to Shawano (540 and 617, drop Hg), Fond du Lac (143), Upper Fox to Princeton Dam, Neenah Slough (308)).
New data was collected from 2 Sites (2005 downstream of Hwy 29 Bybass, 2005 above Shawano )
Date
4/1/2008

 
Pollutant
Total Phosphorus
Listed For
Recreation
Impairments
Low DO, Excess Algal Growth, Eutrophication
Current Use
Restricted Recreation
Listing Status
TMDL Approved
Attainable Use
Recreation
Priority
Not Applicable
Designated Use
Recreation
303(d) ID
523
Listing Date
4/1/1998
Impaired Water Notes
This water was assessed during the 2014 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceed 2014 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use, and chlorophyll data exceed REC thresholds. Total phosphorus and chlorophyll data do not exceed Fish and Aquatic Life thresholds.
Date
3/24/2014

Impaired Water Notes
This water was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceed 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and exceeded Fish and Aquatic Life use, however, chlorophyll data only exceeds REC thresholds.
Date
10/12/2015

Impaired Water Notes
This water was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus and chlorophyll-a sample data clearly exceeded 2018 WisCALM listing criteria for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use.
Date
5/24/2017

Impaired Water Notes
This water was assessed during the 2020 listing cycle; new total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded 2020 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Aquatic Life use; new chlorophyll-a data also exceeded REC and AL uses. Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date
8/1/2019

Impaired Water Notes
This water is covered by the Upper Fox & Wolf River Basins TMDL, approved by the US EPA on February 27, 2020.
Date
3/4/2020

Impaired Water Notes
This water was assessed during the 2022 listing cycle; new total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded 2022 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Aquatic Life use; new chlorophyll-a data also exceeded REC and AL uses. Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date
5/26/2021