Barron
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Desair Lake is an 81-acre drainage lake about three miles northwest of Rice Lake. This lake has an active lake association and is sparsely developed. Water quality is impaired. Algae blooms are a problem during the summer. A volunteer has been collecting water clarity information since 1991 and began collecting phosphorus and chlorophyll information in 1993. Though small, the lake has a relatively large watershed of 6.59 square miles and a resultant high, 521, watershed-to-lake surface ratio. Historically the watershed had a significant percentage of agricultural land uses, 75 percent in 1964. By 2012 cropland was 44 percent of the watershed and pasture, still shrinking, was 17 percent.
Desair Lake Restoration, Inc. was formed in 1993 by 22 lake residents and much work has been done by this group including water quality monitoring, shoreline restoration, slow no wake zone establishment, and aerator installation to prevent fish kills. The group has also done a lot of work on reducing sediment erosion in the lake's watershed by building over 700 feet of stream bank restoration, detention pond construction (three as of 2014 with more scheduled), rain garden construction, gabion dam construction, increased lake lot size with larger set backs, re-vegetation of historically pastured marsh and stream areas, and working with local farmers to implement farming techniques that reduce field soil erosion.
Date 2014
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1964, Surface Water Resources of Barron County Lake Desair T35N, R11W, Section 6
A soft water seepage lake with an intermittent outlet flowing to Bear Creek. Its fish population consists of northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegills, crappies and bullheads. Walleyes are also present. Five acres of wetlands provide habitat for muskrats, nesting mallards, black ducks, blue-winged teal, wood ducks, hooded mergansers, coot and loon. Canada geese also use the lake during migratory periods. It is accessible from a county road access on the west shore. Private development consists of four cottages. It has no other public frontage other than the access. The land surrounding the lake is pastured upland hardwood.
Surface Acres = 73.7, S.D.F. =1.66, Maximum Depth = 33 feet
Date 1964
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Lake Desair (WBIC 2104500) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus and sediment/total suspended solids in 1998. Lake Desair was assessed during the 2018 Impaired Waters listing cycle, using data collected between 2007 and 2016. Impairments were determined based on water quality standards outlined in Wisconsin 2018 Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (WisCALM). Assessment results show water conditions that are not suitable for Aquatic Life and Recreation uses.
Total phosphorus and chlorophyll-a data were reviewed during the assessment of this lake. All values fall into the range expected for an aquatic community in poor health. Because of this, this lake is still listed as impaired due to total phosphorus, eutrophication, and excess algal growth.
Date 2017
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
Monitor Paleocore
Three cores were taken from three different sites within Lake Desair. Analysis of the diatom community was performed.
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 |
|---|
| 2104500 | Lake Desair | 10018523 | Lake Desair -- Access | 10/26/2007 | 6/25/2019 | Map | Data |
| 2104500 | Lake Desair | 10039835 | Desair Lake Piezometer No 2 | 8/17/2004 | 8/17/2004 | Map | Data |
| 2104500 | Lake Desair | 10000787 | Lake Desair | 9/5/2000 | 10/3/2016 | Map | Data |
| 5005444 | Unnamed | 10035005 | E Trib to Lake Desair (USGS 053674033) | 3/29/2005 | 10/5/2005 | Map | Data |
| 2104500 | Lake Desair | 10037798 | Desair Lake Piezometer No 1 | 8/17/2004 | 8/17/2004 | Map | Data |
| 2104500 | Lake Desair | 033159 | Lake Desair at Deepest Point | 4/22/1993 | 8/21/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2104500 | Lake Desair | 10037797 | Desair Lake Piezometer No 4 | 8/17/2004 | 8/17/2004 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Lake Desair 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.This water is ranked High Lake for individual Lakes based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.