Sawyer
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Ghost Lake, in the West Fork Chippewa River Watershed, is a 384.04 acre lake that falls in Sawyer County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1969, Surface Water Resources of Sawyer County Ghost Lake, T42N, R6W, Section 4
A soft water drainage impoundment on the lower end of Ghost Creek near its junction with the West Fork of the Chippewa River. The privately owned water control structure with a 15-foot head maintains the lake level. The outlet flow has a normal estimated volume of 4.6 cfs. Muskellunge and largemouth bass are the most common game fish species. Panfish commonly occurring here are bluegills, perch, black crappies, pumpkinseeds, and bullheads. Nearly half of the lakeshore is by spruce and cedar bogs, mainly on the upper and lower ends. The remainder of the shore is upland hardwood with sand, gravel, and rocky shoreline. Water color is dark brown. A number of migratory and local nesting ducks use the area but use by furbearers is minor. There are four resorts, three boat rentals, and four cottages, and a public access is located on the lower east lakeshore. One of the 7.34 miles of shoreline 3.38 is in public ownership is stated owned and Chequamegon National Forest lands.
Surface Acres = 371.7, Maximum Depth = 12 feet, M.P.A. = 34 ppm, Secchi Disk = 3 feet
Date 1969
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
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
Educate and engage residents
The Town of Spider Lake proposes to develop a Comprehensive Land Use Plan to guide the community in establishing the long range goals, Town ordinances, and the organization of Town Government and citizen groups to protect and enhance the quality of water in our lakes and the natural lake ecosystems.
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 |
|---|
| TEAL, LOST LAND & GHOST LAKES IMPROVMT ASSOC: Quiet Lakes - Phase 1 Teal, Lost Land, and Ghost Lakes - Surface Water Planning Project | 2022 |
| TEAL, LOST LAND & GHOST LAKES IMPROVMT ASSOC: Lost Land Lake Clean Boat Clean Water Program | 2011 |
| TOWN OF SPIDER LAKE: LCO-Spider Lake Twnsp Ordinance Dev - Comprehensive Land Use Pla | 1999 |
| TOWN OF SPIDER LAKE: Spider Lake Township Comrehensive Land Use Plan | 1999 |
| TOWN OF SPIDER LAKE: Methods of Aquatic Invasive Species Education, Prevention & Detection on Spider Lake | 2010 |
| TEAL, LOST LAND & GHOST LAKES IMPROVMT ASSOC: Teal Lake & Teal River Dam Clean Boat Clean Water Program | 2011 |
| TEAL, LOST LAND & GHOST LAKES IMPROVMT ASSOC: Ghost Lake/Teal Lake Clean Boats Clean Water Program | 2011 |
| TEAL, LOST LAND & GHOST LAKES IMPROVMT ASSOC: Quiet Lakes - Phase 2 Teal, Lost Land, and Ghost Lakes - Surface Water Planning Project | 2022 |
| Fish Propagation Actions | 2001 |
|
Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 2423000 | Ghost Lake | 10005633 | Ghost Lake | 8/29/2000 | 9/21/2017 | Map | Data |
| 2423000 | Ghost Lake | 583233 | Ghost Lake - Ghost Lake | | | Map | Data |
| 2423000 | Ghost Lake | 584008 | Ghost Lake - Ghost Lake | 7/20/1979 | 7/20/1979 | Map | Data |
| 2423000 | Ghost Lake | 583145 | Ghost Lake - Deep Hole | 5/18/1999 | 8/18/2006 | Map | Data |
| 2423000 | Ghost Lake | 10018195 | Ghost Lake -- Forest Service Boat Access | 7/30/2010 | 6/5/2022 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Ghost Lake is located in the West Fork Chippewa River watershed which is 284.78 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (62%), wetland (33.60%) and a mix of open (4.30%) and other uses (0%). This watershed has 256.71 stream miles, 6,208.10 lake acres and 60,035.54 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.