Big Eau Pleine TMDL

Purpose

Big Eau Pleine Reservoir is a 6348 acre lake located in Marathon County. It has a maximum depth of 46 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings. Fish include Musky, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye. The lake's water clarity is low.

The Big Eau Pleine Flowage (wbic 1427200) is listed on the Federal 303 (d) list for violations of the state dissolved oxygen and pH water quality standards. The Big Eau Pleine River is also on the list for dissolved oxygen levels below the water quality standard. Both listings are a result of excessive nutrient loading, primarily phosphorus, to the river and flowage.

The Department started a multi-year water quality study in 2009 to develop a TMDL for the river and flowage. The study was completed in conjunction with Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company's (WVIC) three year flowage monitoring plan mandated in their FERC license. WVIC will began flowage monitoring in 2010 and continued through 2012. The Big Eau Pleine River at STH 97 has been sampled monthly for nutrients and solids since 2005 as part of baseline Tier I wadeable stream monitoring and special project 303d monitoring.

TMDL monitoring started in October 2009 with bi-weekly tributary sampling completed by the Department and an advanced volunteer monitor. TMDL monitoring continued through September 2012 and included 2013. Monitoring has been conducted by DNR and partners throughout the these initial data gathering years.

Objective

TMDL monitoring started in October 2009 with bi-weekly tributary sampling completed by the Department and an advanced volunteer monitor. TMDL monitoring continued through September 2012 and included 2013. Monitoring has been conducted by DNR and partners throughout the these initial data gathering years.

Outcome

The monitoring for the Big Eau Pleine River was incorporated into the Wisconsin River Basin TMDL, approved April 26, 2019.

Related Reports

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

TMDL/303d Projects
Monitor Listed Waters
Big Eau Pleine TMDL ATTAINS
2013
Complete
 
Reports and Documents
http://www.bigeaupleine.org/
Big Eau Pleine Photo pink sun at dusk.
Big Eau Pleine Photo 6
Big Eau Pleine Photo Sunset over reservoir
Big Eau Pleine Photo - Serene birds on glass like lake.
Big Eau Pleine Photo Sun on colorful autumn leaves.
Big Eau Pleine Photo 4
Citizen volunteer who is monitoring the tributaries of the Big Eau Pleine River to help with the restoration project.
Big Eau Pleine River, Unnamed Creek 20-12a, Marathon County, Stratford WWTP Use Designation File, Description, Recommendations, Physical Data, Site Map and Photos
Data Documentation Big Eau Pleine Reservior Impaired Waters Delisting Documentation, Marathon County
Data Documentation Big Eau Pleine Reservoir and River Impaired Waters Listing Documentation Photo
Data Documentation Big Eau Pleine River Impaired Waters Listing Documentation, Marathon County
 
Activities & Recommendations
TMDL Development
Big Eau Pleine Reservoir is a 6348 acre lake located in Marathon County. It has a maximum depth of 46 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from public boat landings. Fish include Musky, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye. The lake's water clarity is low.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Monitoring - the Department started a multi-year water quality study in 2009 to develop a TMDL for the river and flowage. Big Eau Pleine Reservoir is a 6348 acre lake located in Marathon County.
TMDL Development
High Priority for ATTAINS reporting of restoration plan - TMDL Development (TP, TSS).
Monitor or Propose 303(d) Listing
The Big Eau Pleine Flowage is listed on the Federal 303 (d) list for violations of the state dissolved oxygen and pH water quality standards. The Big Eau Pleine River is also on the list for dissolved oxygen levels below the water quality standard. Both listings are a result of excessive nutrient loading, primarily phosphorus, to the river and flowage.
 
Watershed
 
Waters