Water Detail - Dead Horse, West Fork Chippewa River Watershed (UC23)

Dead Horse, West Fork Chippewa River Watershed (UC23)

Dead Horse (2428700)

Size

75.09 Acres

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.

Reservoir

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.

2016

General Condition

Excellent

County

Ashland

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.

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.

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.

Reservoir

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.

Default FAL

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

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

Dead Horse, in the West Fork Chippewa River Watershed, is a 75.09 acre lake that falls in Ashland County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date 2011

Author Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Source: 1966, Surface Water Resources of Ashland County Dead Horse Slough, T43N, R4W, Section 34

A soft water, drainage impoundment on the Torch River created by the roadbed of State Highway 77. Its normal outlet flow is approximately 4.0 cubic feet per second. This slough can be characterized as having a muck bottom, numerous snags, and extensive marsh grass and tag alder shore vegetation. Submarginal water quality and occasional winterkills limit its fish population to suckers and creek chubs, although, at one time, muskellunge were said to have been present. Even with a wetland area of over 400 acres, muskrat are not present in significant numbers. Beaver are absent in this section of the Torch River. Black ducks may be found nesting here. It is accessible only from Highway 77 by an unimproved access and it has no private development. Public frontage amounts to 2.5 miles of Chequamegon National Forest Land.

Surface Acres = 87.0, Maximum Depth = 7 feet, M.P.A. = 30 ppm, Secchi Disk = 3 feet

Date 1966

Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Dead Horse, West Fork Chippewa River Watershed (UC23) Fish and Aquatic Life

Dead Horse, West Fork Chippewa River Watershed (UC23) Recreation

Dead Horse, West Fork Chippewa River Watershed (UC23) 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

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

Ashland County Surface Water Resources 1966 Part 1 of 2

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

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
2428700	Dead Horse Slough	024005	Dead Horse Slough - Dead Horse Slough	7/17/1979	7/17/1979	Map	Data
2428700	Dead Horse Slough	10000597	Dead Horse Slough	8/29/2000	10/3/2016	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Dead Horse Slough 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.

Natural Community

Dead Horse is considered a Reservoir 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.