Barron
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No
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Lower Devils Lake, in the Brill and Red Cedar Rivers Watershed, is a 131.42 acre lake that falls in Barron County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2012
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1964, Surface Water Resources of Barron County Lower Devils Lake T36N, R11W, Section 5 Surface Acres = 107.6, S.D.F. = 2.34, Maximum Depth = 29 feet.
A soft water seepage lake, landlocked but having a channel to Upper Devils Lake. It is subject to occasional winterkill and its fish population consists of northern pike, walleyes, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegills, black crappies, perch, rock bass, pumpkinseeds, bullheads and white suckers. A 19-acre marsh wetland provides habitat for muskrats, nesting mallards and wood ducks. A heron rookery is also present. The lake has two boat rental places and two farm homes. Its only public frontage consists of 0.5 miles of state-owned island shoreline. It has no public access other than through the channel from Upper Devils Lake, however this is not always usable. Canada geese may also be present on the lake during migratory periods.
Date 1964
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Lower Devils Lake (1864000) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2012. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation, however, chlorophyll data do not exceed REC thresholds. Total phosphorus and chlorophyll data clearly met thresholds for Fish and Aquatic Life use. 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
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 |
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Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
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| 1864000 | Lower Devils Lake | 034007 | Devils Lake Lower | 8/30/1979 | 8/30/1979 | Map | Data |
| 1864000 | Lower Devils Lake | 10000692 | Lower Devils Lake | 9/5/2000 | 10/3/2016 | Map | Data |
| 1864000 | Lower Devils Lake | 033196 | Lower Devils Lake - Deep Hole | 5/29/2002 | 10/28/2007 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Lower Devils Lake is located in the Brill and Red Cedar Rivers watershed which is 297.68 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (49.40%), agricultural (20.30%) and a mix of grassland (10.70%) and other uses (19.60%). This watershed has 264.90 stream miles, 6,282.34 lake acres and 15,832.05 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Medium 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.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.