Oconto
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Machickanee Flowage (Imp), in the Lower Oconto River Watershed, is a 436.12 acre impoundment that falls in Oconto County. This impoundment is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1977, Surface Water Resources of Oconto County Machickanee Flowage, T28N, R20E, Section 34
A hard water drainage lake (impoundment) on the Oconto River, having slightly alkaline, medium brown water of low transparency. The shoreline is primarily upland, consisting of mixed hardwoods and conifers, with limited areas of shrub meadow wetland. Littoral materials are 80 percent sand and 20 percent muck. Waterfowl make limited use of this flowage. Carp are the only fish known to be present. This flowage receives industrial effluent which is primarily responsible for the poor water quality that limits the fishery, causes occasional fish kills, and produces a bad odor. Navigable water type public access is available via the inlet. Unimproved or difficult publicaccess is also available from a town road. Forty-seven dwellings are located on the shoreline. The dam maintains a head of 19 feet and is owned by the Oconto Electric Cooperative.
Surface Acres = 434.9, Maximum Depth = 23 feet, Secchi Disk = 3 feet
Date 1977
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Recommendations
Best Management Practices, Implement
Partnering with property owners, Machickanee Advancement Association is sponsoring a grant to implement water quality and habitat best practices from Wisconsin's Healthy Lakes Implementation Plan. Best practices, including fish sticks, 350 sq. ft. native plantings, diversions, rock infiltration, and/or rain gardens, will be designed and installed according to the Healthy Lakes fact sheets, technical guidance and grant application.
Monitor Fish Tissue
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
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 448200 | Machickanee Flowage (Stiles) | 433123 | Machickanee Flowage - Deep Hole | 8/29/1973 | 8/25/2024 | Map | Data |
| 448200 | Machickanee Flowage (Stiles) | 10018951 | Machickanee Flowage -- Access | 10/2/2004 | 6/24/2023 | Map | Data |
| 440200 | Oconto River | 10058209 | Machickanee Flowage | 8/22/2023 | 8/22/2023 | Map | Data |
| 448200 | Machickanee Flowage (Stiles) | 10058209 | Machickanee Flowage | 8/22/2023 | 8/22/2023 | Map | Data |
| 448200 | Machickanee Flowage (Stiles) | 10001346 | Machickanee Flowage | 6/1/1994 | 3/15/2024 | Map | Data |
| 448200 | Machickanee Flowage (Stiles) | 10054215 | Machickanee Flowage - Sample point behind dam | 7/10/2021 | 8/15/2021 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Machickanee Flowage (Stiles) is located in the Lower Oconto River watershed which is 196.48 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (33.70%), agricultural (25.80%) and a mix of wetland (23.90%) and other uses (16.60%). This watershed has 314.34 stream miles, 3,972.16 lake acres and 24,684.40 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Low for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.