Overview

Tiger Cat Flowage, in the Lake Chippewa Watershed, is a 1,011.83 acre lake that falls in Sawyer County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Source: 1969, Surface Water Resources of Sawyer County Tiger Cat Flowage, T41N, R7W, Section 16

A soft water, drainage impoundment on the headwaters of the North Fork of the Chief River. The 12-foot head water control structure on the outlet also controls the levels of Upper and Lower Twin Lakes, Burns Lake, and Placid Lake. The estimated normal outlet flow is 8 cfs. The fish population of the flowage includes muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and white suckers. Spider Creek also flows into Tiger Cat Flowage and it too has a warmwater fish habitat. Rooted aquatic vegetation growth is extensive, as are numerous bogs and conifer shrub swamp wetlands that border the flowage. Over 200 acres of these wetlands provide habitat for beaver, nesting ducks, and loon. There is one resort and boat rental, and five cottages. A county park at the dam has sites for camping and picnicking. The flowage is accessible from the public boat landing off the town road between the flowage and Lower Twin Lake. Public frontage consists of 0.3 miles of Sawyer County owned lakeshore frontage. Lower Twin Lake, T41N, R7W, Section 8 Surface Acres = 247.2, Maximum Depth = 30 feet, M.P.A. = 50 ppm, Secchi Disk = 11 feet A soft water, seepage lake with an inlet from Upper Twin Lake and an outlet to nearby Tiger Cat Flowage. The water controlstructure on the Tiger Cat Dam controls the level of the Twin Lakes. The fish population consists of muskellunge, walleyes, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and panfish. The lake has a considerable amount of submergent vegetation, and bog and shrub swamp shoreline providing extensive nesting habitat for ducks and loon. There are two resorts and boat rentals on the lake, and 17 cottages. The public access is located at the town road running between Lower Twin Lake and Tiger Cat Flowage. The town road right-of-way is the only public frontage. Upper Twin Lake, T41N, R7W, Section 5,6 Surface Acres = 298.5, Maximum Depth = 27 feet, M.P.A. = 44 ppm, Secchi Disk = 8 feet A soft water, drainage lake with an outlet channel meandering through a bog to Lower Twin Lake and the Tiger Cat Flowage. An inlet channel also connects this lake with nearby McClaine Lake. Water levels are controlled by the downstream Tiger Cat dam. The fish-population includes muskellunge, walleyes, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, perch, bluegill, black crappie, rock bass, pumpkinseed, white sucker, redhorse, and common shiners. About 170 acres of wetlands of conifer bog shrub swamp and sedge meadow and extensive rooted aquatic vegetation in the lake provides nesting habitat for puddle and diving ducks and loon. Muskrats are also common. Private development on the lake amounts to five resorts, a boat rental, and seven cottages. The lake does not have a public access road, but is accessible by the outlet and inlet channels from connecting lakes. There is no public frontage.

Surface Acres = 224.3, Maximum Depth = 11 feet, M.P.A. = 43 PPm, Secchi Disk = 10 feet

Date  1969

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

General Condition

Tiger Cat Flowage (2435000) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus and chlorophyll sample data were clearly below 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water is meeting these designated uses and is not considered impaired.

Date  2015

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

Recommendations

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

Watershed Characteristics

Tiger Cat Flowage is located in the Lake Chippewa watershed which is 182.90 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (69.10%), open (16.50%) and a mix of wetland (12.70%) and other uses (1.60%). This watershed has 117.68 stream miles, 4,827.59 lake acres and 14,304.38 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.