Barron
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Lower Turtle Lake is a 276-acre drainage lake on Turtle Creek. The lake is relatively shallow with a
maximum depth of 24 feet. A lake association was active on this lake for many years and in 1992 an
official lake management district was formed. A lake management planning grant was awarded to
the Lower Turtle Lake District in 1993 to assess lake water quality conditions, define base flow and
storm runoff water quality from the watershed and develop a comprehensive lake management plan.
A self-help lake monitoring program volunteer has been collecting water clarity data since 1987 and
monitoring at the "expanded" level has been conducted since 1990. Water quality data indicates
that Lower Turtle Lake is a eutrophc waterbody with Trophic State Index values of around 60.
Date 1996
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1964, Surface Water Resources of Barron County Lower Turtle Lake T34N, R14W, Sections 34, 35
A hard water drainage lake on Turtle Creek. The fish population consists of walleyes, northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegills, black crappies, perch, rock bass, pumpkinseeds, bullheads, white suckers and carp. Open farmland surrounds most of the lake, with the exception of 18 acres of marshy wetlands near its inlet and outlet. These wetlands provide habitat for muskrats, nesting puddle ducks and mergansers. Two public accesses are located on the east side of the lake; there is no other public frontage. Private development consists of 12 cottages and homes.
Surface Acres = 278.5, S.D.F. = 1.67, Maximum Depth = 22 feet
Date 1964
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Lower Turtle Lake was recently evaluated during the ten-year period of 2009 through 2018 for results that were reported to the USEPA for the 2020 Clean Water Act condition report. The waterbody is considered impaired, or in poor condition for designated uses which include the quality of fish and aquatic life, recreational use, and public health and welfare (fish consumption and related). Pollutants or problems encountered during sampling (impairments) are determined based on water quality standards outlined in Wisconsin 2020 Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (WisCALM). Assessment results show water conditions that are potentially harmful for Aquatic Life use due to values for total phosphorus and chlorophyll that fall into the range expected for an aquatic community in poor health, therefore this water is listed as impaired.
Assessment results during the 2020 listing cycle show continued impairment. Total phosphorus and chlorophyll levels were too high for both Recreation use and Aquatic Life use according to 2020 WisCALM standards. Based on the most updated information, Eutrophication was added to the existing impairment of excess algal growth and Lower Turtle Lake was changed to a category 5W water because it is covered by the DNR approved watershed restoration plan "A Water Quality Strategy for the Land and Waters of the Red Cedar River Basin."
Date 2019
Author Ashley Beranek
Impaired Waters
Lower Turtle Lake (2079700) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2010. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus and chlorophyll sample data exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use, but did not exceed Fish and Aquatic Life thresholds. Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date 2015
Author Aaron Larson
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
Partnership Project
ATTAINS Protection Project with associated plan
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
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
|---|
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 033161 | Lower Turtle Lake - Middle-Deep Hole | 6/14/1987 | 9/2/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 033146 | Un. Intermittent Tributary - NE Trib to Lwer Turtle Lake | 4/13/1994 | 8/27/1999 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 10020142 | Lower Turtle Lake - Access of 3 3/4 4th Street | 6/26/2010 | 6/8/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 033174 | Lower Turtle Lake - Near Outlet | 6/14/1987 | 10/16/1997 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 033147 | Lower Turtle Lake West Trib To - West Trib To Lower Turtle Lake | | | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 033173 | Lower Turtle Lake - Near Inlet | 6/14/1987 | 10/16/1997 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 10018133 | Lower Turtle Lake - Access off 12 1/2 Ave | 5/26/2006 | 8/27/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 10000651 | Lower Turtle Lake | 9/5/2000 | 8/19/2017 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 10030725 | Lower Turtle Lake - North Basin Lower | 7/26/2024 | 7/26/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2079700 | Lower Turtle Lake | 10030726 | Lower Turtle Lake - South Basin Lower | 5/8/2010 | 9/26/2015 | Map | Data |
| 5006203 | Unnamed | 10030728 | Lower Turtle Lake - E Trib at 4th Str | 6/7/2010 | 10/14/2014 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Lower Turtle Lake is located in the Hay River watershed which is 289.60 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (38%), agricultural (30.20%) and a mix of grassland (20.60%) and other uses (11.20%). This watershed has 516.98 stream miles, 2,647.38 lake acres and 15,179.56 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available for runoff impacts on lakes and High for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of High. This value can be used in ranking the watershed or individual waterbodies for grant funding under state and county programs.This water is ranked High Lake for individual Lakes based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.