Manitowish River , Manitowish River Watershed (UC16)
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Manitowish River , Manitowish River Watershed (UC16)
Manitowish River (2324400)
8.04 Miles
36.80 - 44.84
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.
Warm Mainstem, Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm Mainstem
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.
2020
Unknown
 
Vilas
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.
No
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.
No

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.
WWSF
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.
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.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

A portion of the Manitowish River in Vilas County is designated an exceptional resource water under the state antidegradation policy. This portion includes the river from the Rest Lake dam in Vilas County downstream to the river's confluence with Bear River in Iron County. The river's flow is captured by Rest Lake dam, which was constructed in 1887 for water storage. It has been operated by the Chippewa Flambeau Improvement Corporation since 191 1. Rest Lake is drawn down in winter and is restored in spring.

Larson, Nancy and Lisa Kosmond (Helmuth). 1996. Upper Chippewa River Basin Water Quality Management Plan.
PUBL-WR-345-96-REV. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1996

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Overview

The Manitowish River supports a warm water sport fishery. It was approved by the Natural Resources Board in January 1993 to be classified as Exceptional Resource Water under NR 102. Index of Biotic Integrity sampling conducted in 199 1 indicated excellent water quality. Two threatened species of fish were recorded during the survey. These observations included both adult and young-of-year pugnose shiner and greater redhorse. The lake sturgeon population in the river is badly depleted. A real danger exists of loosing this valuable fishery if steps are not taken to identify the causes of declining reproduction and recruitment. There is speculation that rusty crayflsh may be having an impact on egg survival, but we have no documentation for this. An area along the Manitowish River near Benson Lake is known to be experiencing erosion. A Sturgeon Project Area has been established between Rest Lake Dam and Benson Lake, and a study has been proposed to assess habitat, environmental conditions, and to collect data on sturgeon and other fish species. The study's objective is to gather the necessary data to develop a plan to rehabilitate the sturgeon population. This project also has implications to the treaty fishery, and for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) re-licensing relative to operation of the Rest Lake Dam.

Date  1996

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Manitowish River , Manitowish River Watershed (UC16) Fish and Aquatic LifeManitowish River , Manitowish River Watershed (UC16) RecreationManitowish River , Manitowish River Watershed (UC16) Fish Consumption

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

Manitowish River, Manitowish River - 51 Wayside Pk, Nonwadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form
2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Manitowish CLP Removal Report 2017
Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments
Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments
Comprehensive 2014 TP IBI Rivers Assessment
Manitowish River (amended), Iron County, OERW Evaluation
Manitowish River, Iron County, OERW Evaluation

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
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Waters Chain AIS Control & Prevention Project2015
VILAS COUNTY: HLK-Vilas Co HLK Projects2020
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Chain of Lakes Management Planning Project Phase IIb2013
BOULDER JUNCTION: Town of Boulder Junction 2020 CBCW2020
TOWN OF MANITOWISH WATERS: AIS Education, Prevention & Planning Project2007
UW SYSTEM BOARD OF REGEGENTS: LMI - Wild Rice: Development of a Population Risk Assessment Tool2021
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Waters Chain of Lakes CLP Control2023
HIGH-FISHTRAP-RUSH LKS ASSOC: High-Fishtrap-Rush Lakes Stewardship Program, Phase 22014
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Rest Lake North Lakeland Discovery Center 2016 Clean Boats Clean Waters2016
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: North Lakeland Discovery Center 2020 CBCW2020
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Rest Lake 2015 Clean Boats Clean Waters Project2015
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Waters Chain of Lakes Aquatic Plant Studies - Phase I - Spider2022
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: North Lakeland Discovery Center 2017 CBCW2017
HIGH-FISHTRAP-RUSH LKS ASSOC: LMI-CLMP Implementation- Plant Sampling & AIS Inventory2019
TOWN OF MANITOWISH WATERS: AIS Education, Prevention and Planning Project2008
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Chain of Lakes EDR Project - Phase 22012
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Waters Chain of Lakes Aquatic Plant Studies - Phase I - Island2022
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: North Lakeland Discovery Center 2019 CBCW2019
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: HLR - NLDC Revitalizing Lakes\005C00A02023
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Waters Chain of Lakes - Vance Lake CLP Control2024
Fish Propagation Actions2001
NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER: Manitowish Waters Chain of Lakes Aquatic Plant Studies - Phase I - Rest Lake2022

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
2341000Unnamed10022194Unnamed Lake - Manitowish River (T42 R7E S13)7/8/20106/10/2017MapData
2341000Unnamed10019858Manitowish River -- Fishtrap Dam Landing11/5/20109/10/2020MapData
2324400Manitowish River643202Manitowish River - Dam Road5/1/198010/8/1980MapData

Watershed Characteristics

Manitowish River is located in the Manitowish River watershed which is 268.60 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (66.90%), wetland (19.10%) and a mix of open (13.30%) and other uses (0.70%). This watershed has 212.08 stream miles, 22,943.16 lake acres and 33,727.48 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Low for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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

Manitowish River is considered a Warm Mainstem, Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm Mainstem 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.

Warm Mainstem waters are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with relatively warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are common to absent, mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to absent.

Warm Headwaters are small, usually intermittent streams with warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

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