Shawano Lake Tributary Assessment for 303(d) Identification - Year 2 - NER_02_CMP14

Purpose

In 2013 NER region monitoried and sampled 8 stream segments and 1 lake site for impaired waters considerations. 6 of the 8 stream segments indicated impaired biological communities which are identified for additonal impaired waters monitoring in 2014 of the biological communities. In additon 6 monthly TP samples will be collected to identify the suspected pollutant as TP in all 8 stream sample locations. The lake sampling site on Mud Lake will again be sampled at spring turnover, June, July, August, and September for TSI criteria. NER proposes to monitor 6 streams and 1 lake which are tributaries to Shawano Lake during the 2013 project cycle for impaired waters identification. Historic water quality data from the UWSP- Center for Watershed Science and Education in their Shawano Lake Watershed Assessment (2008) indicates that Total Phosphorous samples have exceeded the listing threshold in these streams. The 6 streams will be monitored for biological impairments by conducting fish and qualitative habitat surveys, collecting macroinvertabrate samples, and continuous water temperatures. Chemistry samples will be taken on Mud Lake for Chlorophyll a and total phosphorous. Flow and basic Water quality parameters will also be collected during each field visit. It is anticipated that this will be a 2-year project so that 2012 WisCALM Guidance can be followed for TP listing with biological impairments. The 6 monthly TP samples will be proposed on those stream segments in 2014 that show biological impairments from 2013 monitoring to fill remaining data gaps. The second year will also include the remainder of growing season lake monitoring for TP and Chl a.

Objective

This project will seek to identify likely 303(d) waters to be included on future impaired waters listings. Recent water quality data within the last 10yrs from UWSP and WDNR sampling efforts indicated that the tributaries of Loon Creek (WBIC 323600), Duchess Creek (WBIC 325000), Pickerel Creek (WBIC 325800), Unnamed Creek #1 (WBIC 325000), Unnamed Creek #2 (WBIC 323500), and Murray Creek (WBIC 323000) have had sample concentrations of TP that exceed the listing threshold of 0.075 mg/l as indicated in 2012 WisCALM. Mud Lake (WBIC 326000) is a drainage lake that outlets to Shawano Lake through Pickerel Creek and receives water from White Clay Lake which is on the proposed 2012 303(d) list for TP. Only minimal old macroinvertebrate data exist and sufficient biological data are lacking to make impairment assessments of the waterways. The biological data will be used to make a decision on future listings for the impaired waters list. The chemistry data on Mud Lake will be used to determine the condition of Mud Lake for consideration on future impaired waters listings.

Outcome

WisCALM 2012 guidance will be used to assess 6 streams and 1 lake for Fish and Aquatic Life impairments. A total of 8 stream sites will be sampled for Fish, qualitative habitat, continuous temperature, and bugs in 2014. TP concentrations sampled in these waterways have exceeded the listing threshold but no current biological data exist to corroborate the FAL use impairment. Only one of the 6 sites currently has an adequate subset of TP samples that exceed the listing threshold. Following biological data collection and analysis in 2013 additional TP collection may be proposed on streams with poor M-IBI or F-IBI ratings in 2014. 1 Deep Hole site will be sampled on Mud Lake. Mud Lake receives water from White Clay Lake which is on the 2012 impaired waters list for TP. Chemistry monitoring for 2 years of TP and Chl a will be proposed to meet the 2012 WisCALM listing guidance for TP and Chl a. 8 Field visits are proposed in 2013 with this project. 1 for temp logger deployment, 3 for Fish and Habitat, 3 for Lake Chemistry sampling, and 1 for temp logger retrieval and bug sample collection. All data collected will be entered into SWIMS and be used for making listing recommendations.

Related Reports

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

Competitive Projects
Impaired Water Assessment
NER_02_CMP14
2014
Complete
 
Reports and Documents
NER_02_CMP14 status 10 13 2016
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, stream monitors assisted in the monitoring process by collecting water samples to be analyzed for total phosphorus at the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene.
Historic water quality data, used as part of the Shawano Lake Watershed Assessment (UW Stevens Point - Center for Watershed Science and Education 2008), indicate that total phosphorous levels exceeded the impaired listing threshold in several of the tributaries to Shawano Lake. DNR staff and WAV volunteers began collecting total phosphorus data for these streams in 2013 and have continued in 2014 to fill any remaining data gaps.
Historic water quality data, used as part of the Shawano Lake Watershed Assessment (UW Stevens Point - Center for Watershed Science and Education 2008), indicate that total phosphorous levels exceeded the impaired listing threshold in several of the tributaries to Shawano Lake. DNR staff and WAV volunteers began collecting total phosphorus data for these streams in 2013 and have continued in 2014 to fill any remaining data gaps.
Historic water quality data, used as part of the Shawano Lake Watershed Assessment (UW Stevens Point - Center for Watershed Science and Education 2008), indicate that total phosphorous levels exceeded the impaired listing threshold in several of the tributaries to Shawano Lake. DNR staff and WAV volunteers began collecting total phosphorus data for these streams in 2013 and have continued in 2014 to fill any remaining data gaps.
Historic water quality data, used as part of the Shawano Lake Watershed Assessment (UW Stevens Point - Center for Watershed Science and Education 2008), indicate that total phosphorous levels exceeded the impaired listing threshold in several of the tributaries to Shawano Lake. DNR staff and WAV volunteers began collecting total phosphorus data for these streams in 2013 and have continued in 2014 to fill any remaining data gaps.
Historic water quality data, used as part of the Shawano Lake Watershed Assessment (UW Stevens Point - Center for Watershed Science and Education 2008), indicate that total phosphorous levels exceeded the impaired listing threshold in several of the tributaries to Shawano Lake. DNR staff and WAV volunteers began collecting total phosphorus data for these streams in 2013 and have continued in 2014 to fill any remaining data gaps.
 
Activities & Recommendations
Monitor or Propose 303(d) Listing
In 2013 NER region monitoried and sampled 8 stream segments and 1 lake site for impaired waters considerations. 6 of the 8 stream segments indicated impaired biological communities which are identified for additonal impaired waters monitoring in 2014 of the biological communities. In additon 6 monthly TP samples will be collected to identify the suspected pollutant as TP in all 8 stream sample locations. The lake sampling site on Mud Lake will again be sampled at spring turnover, June, July, August, and September for TSI criteria. NER proposes to monitor 6 streams and 1 lake which are tributaries to Shawano Lake during the 2013 project cycle for impaired waters identification. Historic water quality data from the UWSP- Center for Watershed Science and Education in their Shawano Lake Watershed Assessment (2008) indicates that Total Phosphorous samples have exceeded the listing threshold in these streams. The 6 streams will be monitored for biological impairments by conducting fish and qualitative habitat surveys, collecting macroinvertabrate samples, and continuous water temperatures. Chemistry samples will be taken on Mud Lake for Chlorophyll a and total phosphorous. Flow and basic Water quality parameters will also be collected during each field visit. It is anticipated that this will be a 2-year project so that 2012 WisCALM Guidance can be followed for TP listing with biological impairments. The 6 monthly TP samples will be proposed on those stream segments in 2014 that show biological impairments from 2013 monitoring to fill remaining data gaps. The second year will also include the remainder of growing season lake monitoring for TP and Chl a.
 
Watershed