New Richmond Flowage, Upper Willow River,Lower Willow River Watershed (SC02)
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New Richmond Flowage, Upper Willow River,Lower Willow River Watershed (SC02)
New Richmond Flowage (2608800)
236 Acres
Natural Community
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.
Impounded Flowing Water
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
Good
 
St. Croix
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.
No
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.
No
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.
No

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.
Impounded Flowing Water
This classification includes waterbodies created by dams (mill ponds, reservoirs, flowages, and other impoundments) with a residence time of 14 days or more (under summer (June – Sept) mean low flow conditions with a 1 in 10 year recurrence interval (US EPA 2000)). Many natural lakes also have dams or water level control structures. However, to be included in the Impounded Flowing Waters category, the dam or water level control structure, must account for more than half of a waterbody’s maximum depth. Impoundments with a residence time of less than 14 days should be covered under the rivers and stream assessment methodology process.
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.
WWSF
Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.
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

The New Richmond Flowage suffers from excessive nutrients, and is a shallow weed infested waterbody. Most of the flowage is 5 feet deep and is plagued with fine sediment deposition. The fine sediment obviously comes from the headwater region of the watershed. The 236 acre flowage shifts the thermal regime toward warmwater until groundwater becomes more
prevalent downstream within Willow River State Park.

Date  2010

Author  Kathy Bartilson

Historical Description

A hardwater, drainage impoundment situated on the Willow River. It has a navigable inlet and a 16 foot head private power dam (New Richmond Roller Mills) on its outlet (32 CFS). Managed for largemouth bass and panfish that include bluegills, perch, black crappies, pumpkinseeds and black bullheads. Northern pike and brook trout are also present. Excessive weed growth makes angling and boating difficult here. Other than the navigable access from the Willow River, this flowage has no boat landings, except a private one at the west end. The owner here charges a parking fee and only fishing boats are allowed to launch here. A city park of about 12 acres and 2,300 feet of frontage is located on the south shore. A swimming pool is available to the public at the park. Unsuitable water conditions render the flowage unfavorable for swimming. There is one boat livery and 20 dwellings on the flowage. Muskrats -and nesting mallards, blue-winged teal, wood ducks and hooded mergansers utilize the 10,acres of wild rice wetlands near the inlet. Coots and other ducks of the puddle and divers groups also use the flowage to a great extent during the migratory seasons.

Source: 1961, Surface Water Resources of St.Croix Co. New Richmond Flowage - T. 31 N., R. 17, 18 W., Sec. 31, 36 Surface Acres = 142. 0 S. D. F. - 3. 11 Maximum Depth = 12 feet

Date  1961

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

New Richmond Flowage, Upper Willow River,Lower Willow River Watershed (SC02) Fish and Aquatic LifeNew Richmond Flowage, Upper Willow River,Lower Willow River Watershed (SC02) RecreationNew Richmond Flowage, Upper Willow River,Lower Willow River Watershed (SC02) 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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments
2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters
Final Draft 2018 Impaired Waters List
Final Assessment Data from TSI Package and Assessment Units 2018
Comprehensive 2018 Lake/Impoundment Water Quality Assessments
Comprehensive 2016 Lake Reservoir Assessments
Willow River Watershed Plan 2010 (SC02, SC03)
Lake Bathymetry Map for New Richmond Flowage

Recommendations

Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Highly variable results over five year period. Will revisit in 2020 when there is more data. AU: 3894231; Station ID: 10017346

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 Recommendations Stemming from CWA / IR Listings2000
Fish Propagation Actions2001

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
2608800New Richmond Flowage10005434New Richmond Flowage8/7/200110/3/2016MapData
2608800New Richmond Flowage563005Willow River - Domain Industries New RichmondMapData
2608800New Richmond Flowage10018304Willow River -- AccessMapData
2608800New Richmond Flowage563064New Richmond Lake -- Boat Land Hwy 657/19/20117/19/2011MapData
2608800New Richmond Flowage10017346New Richmond Flowage - Mary Park Beach5/21/20076/27/2016MapData
2608800New Richmond Flowage563129New Richmond Flowage - Deep Hole4/22/20038/14/2003MapData

Watershed Characteristics

New Richmond Flowage is located in the Lower Willow River watershed which is 164.38 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (32.10%), forest (25.40%) and a mix of grassland (23.70%) and other uses (18.80%). This watershed has 99.33 stream miles, 2,139.74 lake acres and 2,482.81 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.

Natural Community

New Richmond Flowage is considered a Impounded Flowing Water 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.

This classification includes waterbodies created by dams (mill ponds, reservoirs, flowages, and other impoundments) with a residence time of 14 days or more (under summer (June – Sept) mean low flow conditions with a 1 in 10 year recurrence interval (US EPA 2000)). Many natural lakes also have dams or water level control structures. However, to be included in the Impounded Flowing Waters category, the dam or water level control structure, must account for more than half of a waterbody’s maximum depth. Impoundments with a residence time of less than 14 days should be covered under the rivers and stream assessment methodology process.

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