Beaver Dam PWS - Nine Key Element Plan
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Purpose

Beaver Dam River and the majority of other streams in the watershed support a warm water sport fishery. The streams of the watershed are not reaching their highest potential use due to pollution from point and nonpoint sources. Eroding croplands and streambank and improperly managed livestock operations are the major source of nonpoint pollution in the watershed. The three lakes in the watershed, Fox, Beaver Dam and Lost Lakes are all eutrophic lakes, and although they support a productive fishery, are also plagued by problems including severe algae blooms, excessive weed growth, and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. The details of the water resource assessments are discussed later in this watershed plan.

Objective

Pollutant load reductions are developed according to activities needed to achieve the water quality objectives. In order to reduce overall sediment delivered to receiving water bodies, the following is needed: 35% reduction in sediment reaching streams from agricultural uplands, reduction in gullies eroding more than 6 inches per year, reduction in streambank erosion where cattle are trampling banks, and reduction in shoreline sediment delivered to the lakes. In order to reduce overall phosphorus load to receiving water bodies, the following is needed: 73% reduction in organic pollutants from barnyards and 42% reduction in organic pollutants from winterspread manure on "unsuitable" acres in all subwatersheds.

Outcome

An assessment of groundwater quality was completed by sampling private wells for nitrate + nitrite and triazine. Results show that of the well samples collected, 22 percent had nitrate levels over the enforcement standard (health advisory level) of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and 24 percent had nitrate levels between 2 mg/L, the preventative action limit, and I 0 mg/L. Nitrate + Nitrite levels greater than the 2 mg/L preventative action limit show that human activities are affecting groundwater quality. Results of the groundwater survey do not indicate a pattern of groundwater contamination that can be linked to specific sources of nitrate. Well sampling for triazine showed that less than I percent of the samples collectecl had triazine levels over 3.0 micrograms per liter p.g/L, which is the enforcement standard for atrazine plus its breakdown components, called metabolites. Triazines are a family of herbicides which include atrazine and its metabolites which when present in groundwater indicates groundwater contamination. 13 percent of the samples collected had triazine levels between 0.3 and 3.0 p.g/L. The preventative action limit for triazine is 0.3 p.g/L.

Study Design

Beaver Dam River Plan

Related Reports

Run Project Summary Report
View Umbrella-Projects
View Related-Projects

Water Quality Planning
Priority Watershed Plan
NKE2
1994
Complete
 
Reports and Documents
Beaver Dam River, Wisconsin photo
From: https://www.wisconsinrivertrips.com/segments/beaver-dam-river
Rock River Basin Photo
2015 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - Beaver Dam River just upstream of Hwy 151
Many of Wisconsin’s water quality standards require multiple visits to make an assessment decision. Every year, several stream sites are monitored and the field data collected during each visit are used to “flag” problem waters. In the next year, follow up monitoring is carried out on the “flagged” waters where the data suggest there is an impairment, but there are insufficient data to make that determination based on the State’s minimum data requirements. In 2015, Water Action Volunteers stream monitors who live nearby the recommended follow up sites were asked to assist in the monitoring process by collecting water samples to be analyzed for total phosphorus at the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene.
Nonpoint Source Control Plan for the Beaver Dam River Priority Watershed Project
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/nonpoint/documents/9kep/Beaver_Dam_River-Plan.pdf The Beaver Dam River Priority Watershed Project plan assesses the nonpoint sources of pollution in the Beaver Dam River Watershed and guides the implementation of nonpoint source control measures.
 
Activities & Recommendations
Nine Key Element Plan
The Beaver Dam River and the majority of other streams in the watershed suppmt a warm water sport fishery. The streams of the watershed are not reaching their highest potential use due to pollution from point and nonpoint sources.
Nine Key Element Plan
Beaver Dam PWS - Nine Key Element Plan - The Beaver Dam River and the majority of other streams in the watershed suppmt a warm water sport fishery. The streams of the watershed are not reaching their highest potential use due to pollution from point and nonpoint sources.
 
Watershed
Beaver Dam River
 
Waters
Beaver Dam River
Monitoring Data