Water Detail - Potato River, Potato River Watershed (LS11)

Potato River, Potato River Watershed (LS11)

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Potato River (2906200)

Size

25.89 Miles

Segment

11.10 - 36.99

Natural Community

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.

Cool-Cold Mainstem, Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Warm Headwater

Year Last Monitored

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.

2022

General Condition

Good

County

Iron

Trout Water

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.

Yes

Outstanding or Exceptional

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.

Yes

Impaired Water

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.

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use

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.

Supported Aquatic Life

Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).

Attainable Use

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.

Cold (Class II Trout)

Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L through natural reproduction and selective propagation. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Designated Use

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.

Cold

Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Overview

This Bad River tributary is considered a Class III trout fishery for brook, brown and rainbow trout, and is used by migratory species of trout and salmon from Lake Superior. The stream is considered a better brook trout stream above the confluence with Alder Creek than below. Beaver are frequently active in the upper reaches of the river, where migratory and nesting waterfowl are also found. This stream is subject to extreme flow variations, especially notable downstream from the confluence with Alder Creek where thermal levels can become lethal or near lethal for trout species. Most of the watershed is forested, where the potential exists for clearcutting and a hodgepodge of management approaches. Some agricultural clearing has occurred and several gravel pits also occur in the watershed. Several whitewater areas on the river feature waterfalls, most notably Potato River Falls, Foster Falls and Upson Falls. At the Iron/Ashland county line, the river crosses into the Bad River Indian Reservation. The river here tends to form large meanders in a broad valley, many becoming small oxbow ponds in the flood plain. We have very little information on this river.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, three rare species of macroinvertebrate were found in the Iron County portion of the stream, and one rare species was found in the Ashland County portion of the stream. Overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). Iron bacteria and aquatic plants were present at the survey site in Iron County, but not significant.

Turville-Heitz, Meg. 1999. Lake Superior Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date 1999

Author Aquatic Biologist

Potato River, Potato River Watershed (LS11) Fish and Aquatic Life

Potato River, Potato River Watershed (LS11) Recreation

Potato River, Potato River Watershed (LS11) Fish Consumption

General Condition

The Potato River was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.

Date 2017

Author Ashley Beranek

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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

Potato River, Potato River 80m DS of logging road access, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River 10m US of Apple Cr (FR 700) Rd, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River 12m US of ATV Trail Bridge, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River 200m US of STH 77 , Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River US Sullivan Road, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River at Snake Track Rd Crossing (T45N R1E S22), Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River at Trail Crossing, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River east of Casey Sag Road, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River off of Nick Kangas Rd , Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

Potato River, Potato River off of Ricca Rd (T45N R1E S12), Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments

Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment

Ashland County Surface Water Resources 1966 Part 1 of 2

Recommendations

Water Quality Planning

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

Project Name (Click for Details)	Year Started
Tyler Forks and Potato River TWA (Project 2)	2013
Fish Propagation Actions	2001
Tyler Forks (LS13) Watershed Planning	2012

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
2906200	Potato River	263031	Potato River at Upson	6/8/1979	10/6/1979	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10041397	Potato River at Snake Track Rd Crossing (T45N R1E S22)	10/24/2018	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10051934	Potato River US Sullivan Road	10/24/2018	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10020725	Potato River-1\4 Mile North Of Highway 77			Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10032784	Potato River at State Highway 77			Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10034378	Potato River at Upson Park	5/19/2011	1/1/2015	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10042504	Potato River between Foster Falls DS Sullivan RD			Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10032781	Potato River at Trail Crossing	10/24/2018	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10042753	Potato River 12m US of ATV Trail Bridge	10/9/2014	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	263032	Potato River at Hwy 169 Nr Gurney	6/22/1979	10/25/2022	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10051936	Potato River 80m DS of logging road access	10/24/2018	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10039996	Potato River 200m US of STH 77	5/14/2013	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10041400	Potato River off of Nick Kangas Rd	10/24/2018	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10041394	Potato River off Upson Lake Rd			Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10041399	Potato River off of Ricca Rd (T45N R1E S12)	10/24/2018	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10039997	Potato River 10m US of Apple Cr (FR 700) Rd	5/14/2013	10/24/2018	Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10041398	Potato River off Island Lake Rd Crossing			Map	Data
2906200	Potato River	10051935	Potato River east of Casey Sag Road	10/24/2018	10/24/2018	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Potato River is located in the Potato River watershed which is 139.92 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (79.70%), wetland (16%) and a mix of grassland (2.40%) and other uses (2.00%). This watershed has 306.29 stream miles, 195.98 lake acres and 14,309.56 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and Low for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Low. 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.

Natural Community

Potato River is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Macroinvertebrate, Cool-Warm Headwater under the state's Natural Community Determinations.

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results and DNR staff valiation processes that confirm or update predicted conditions based on flow and temperature modeling from historic and current landscape features and related variables. Predicated flow and temperatures for waters are associated predicated fish assemblages (communities). Biologists evaluate the model results against current survey data to determine if the modeled results are corect and whether biological indicators show water quaity degradation. This analysis is a core component of the state's resource management framework. Wisconsin's Riverine Natural Communities.

Cool (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

Cool (Cold-Transition) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.

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