Lake Waubesa, Yahara River and Lake Monona Watershed (LR08)
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Lake Waubesa, Yahara River and Lake Monona Watershed (LR08)
Lake Waubesa (803700)
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2074.53 Acres
Natural Community
Deep Lowland
Year Last Monitored
2025
Poor
 
This lake is impaired
High Phosphorus Levels, Excess Algal Growth, PFOS Contaminated Fish Tissue
Mercury, PFOS, Total Phosphorus
 
Dane
Trout Water 
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
No
Impaired Water 
Yes

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
Restricted Aquatic Life
Attainable Use
WWSF
Designated Use
Default FAL

Overview

Rock River Water Quality Management Plan, Lower Rock River Appendix. WT-668-2002. South Central Region, WDNR.

The Yahara River flows unimpeded from the Mendota Locks through Lake Monona and Lake Waubesa. The Lake Waubesa Dam, popularly known as the Babcock Park Lock and Dam, is located at the outlet of Lake Waubesa in the Town of Dunn. Dane County constructed the 10 foot dam in 1938 to control lake levels and aid navigation. The dam holds a very small hydraulic head, often less than a foot and dam is often open during the year because the water level is held up by the channel constriction downstream of the dam. The dam controls the water levels for Lake Monona and Waubesa and continues to be owned and operated by Dane County.
The County endeavors to maintain the water levels of Lake Monona and Waubesa at a lower level during the winter to prevent ice damage to the shoreline and to provide flood storage capacity during the spring runoff. During the spring, the levels are raised to aid the spawning of northern pike and allow recreational use adjacent to the shoreline. The raised water level allows the pike access to the marsh grass where they spawn in the early spring. The County also passes 50 cubic feet per second between April 1 and May 15 to aid the spawning of walleye and other fish downstream of the dam. Walleye prefer to spawn in flowing water over gravel substrate. At all other times, a minimum discharge of at least 10 cfs is maintained. Due to heavy rains, the lakes reached record levels in 2000.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

Lake Waubesa is the shallowest of the Yahara Lakes. The watershed surrounding Lake Waubesa is a combination of urban, industrial, and rural lands. There are also extensive wetlands at the north and south ends of the lake. Lake Waubesa was severely affected by large amounts of municipal wastewater received during the 1940s and 1950s.

Water quality of the lake has improved since MMSD diverted its treated wastewater effluent away from the lake. The lake still receives large nutrient loads primarily from upstream. The lake also continues to exhibit effects from past nutrient loading. Dissolved reactive phosphorus and total phosphorus levels in the lake have, however, declined, which may be attributed to reduced direct loadings from its watershed and indirect loads from upstream lakes. Lake sediments also contain high concentrations of phosphorus and will continue to affect water quality in the years to come.

Rooted aquatic plant growth, particularly Eurasian water milfoil, has been resurgent in the lake, corresponding to improved water clarity. As with other lakes in the system, chloride levels in Waubesa have increased over the past 20 years. The lake flushes about two to three times per year.

A fish consumption advisory exists for walleye. Elevated levels of mercury were found in some fish samples taken by WDNR. Lake sediment sampling in 1987 indicates a trend toward decreasing mercury concentrations and deposition in the lake. Fish sampling for mercury will continue. WDNR received complaints from anglers of “cancerous” and “ulcerated” fish taken on the lake. Concerned that toxics leaking from the MMSD lagoons to Nine Springs Creek and entering the lake, WDNR staff investigated the reports and now believe these fish were suffering from naturally-occurring diseases, “red sore” disease in black crappie and lymphocysts in walleye. Additional fish samples were taken on Lake Waubesa in the fall of 1989 for further analysis. WDNR is investigating a connection between red sore disease and pseudomonas bacteria. Red sore tends to occur in fish under some stress, and occurs more frequently in the lower Yahara lakes.

Lake Waubesa supports a productive and diverse warm water fishery of muskellunge, northern pike, walleye, bass and panfish. The lake receives heavy use, particularly for fishing. Rough fish are an ongoing problem. In 1995, a cooperative effort to restore eight acres of wetlands at the south end of Lake Waubesa neared completion. The wetlands are designed to trap soil from surrounding uplands, create fish spawning habitat, and enhance the lake's general ecological health.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

Lake Waubesa Wetlands More than 500 acres of wetlands exist in the Lake Waubesa watershed. The lake's southern wetlands provide excellent habitat for fish spawning, migratory waterfowl and other wildlife and has a diversity of plant communities. Much of the wetland is in public ownership. A number of springs in and around the wetland provide a constant source of clean water. The primary threats are from alterations of some of the springs, agricultural polluted runoff, and local development and construction. The lake's 139-acre southeast wetland was identified by the 1990 UW-Madison Water Resources Monitoring Workshop as having significant aesthetic and recreational qualities.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.
This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.
Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.
Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.
A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.
The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.
Fish and Aquatic Life communities are not fully supported in this ecosystem.
The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.
This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.