Sauk
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Virginia Lake is a 35-acre impoundment on a tributary to the Baraboo River located just east of Copper Creek. The lake was created by a real estate agency to promote private development in 1969. The lake contains largemouth bass and panfish. The lake experiences problems with aquatic plant management. To deal with this, the aquatic plants in the lake are harvested. There is a Lake Virginia Management District.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
A small impoundment created in 1969 by an ear-then dike with a 14-foot head on an unnamed tributary to the Baraboo River. The lake was constructed four miles east of Reedsburg by a local real estate agency in an attempt to promote private development. It was proposed as a 50 acre lake but it looks very doubtful if it will ever reach this size. There is no fishery at the present time, but it is assumed that it will eventually be stocked with largemouth bass and panfish. A public park is located near the northwestern shore but does not adjoin the lake. Several dwellings will eventually surround the lake.
Surface area 35.0 acres, S.D.F. = 3.5, Maximum depth 15 feet
Source: 1971, Surface Water Resources of Sauk County Lake Virginia, T12N R5E, Sec. 8
Date 1971
Author Aquatic Biologist
Condition
Wisconsin has over 84,000 miles of streams, 15,000 lakes and milllions of acres of wetlands. Assessing the condition of this vast amount of water is challenging. The state's water monitoring program uses a media-based, cross-program approach to analyze water condition. An updated monitoring strategy (2015-2020) is now available. Compliance with Clean Water Act fishable, swimmable standards are located in the Executive Summary of Water Condition in 2018. See also the 'monitoring and projects' tab.
Reports
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 |
|---|
| 1278700 | Virginia Lake | 10019304 | Lake Virginia -- Access | 6/25/2012 | 9/30/2013 | Map | Data |
| 1278700 | Virginia Lake | 10005441 | Lake Virginia | 7/27/1999 | 9/22/2017 | Map | Data |
| 1278700 | Virginia Lake | 573126 | Lake Virginia - North End - Site 2 | 5/12/1993 | 5/12/1994 | Map | Data |
| 1278700 | Virginia Lake | 573059 | Virginia Lake - Deep Hole-Site 1-South | 7/1/1980 | 7/29/2009 | Map | Data |
| 1278700 | Virginia Lake | 574002 | Virginia Lake - Virginia Lake | 8/28/1979 | 8/28/1979 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Virginia Lake is located in the Narrows Creek and Baraboo River watershed which is 176.33 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (31.70%), agricultural (30.90%) and a mix of grassland (25.80%) and other uses (11.60%). This watershed has 368.35 stream miles, 331.44 lake acres and 4,694.54 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available 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.