Souix River, Bayfield Peninsula Southeast Watershed (LS07)
Souix River, Bayfield Peninsula Southeast Watershed (LS07)
Souix River (2886000)
9.38 Miles
7.47 - 16.85
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.
Coldwater
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.
2021
Good
 
Bayfield
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.
Yes
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.
Yes
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.
Supported Aquatic Life
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
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.
Cold (Class I Trout)
Streams supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species through natural reproduction. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.
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.
Cold
Streams capable of supporting a cold water sport fishery, or serving as a spawning area for salmonids and other cold water fish species. Representative aquatic life communities, associated with these waters, generally require cold temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that remain above 6 mg/L. Since these waters are capable of supporting natural reproduction, a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 7 mg/L is required during times of active spawning and support of early life stages of newly-hatched fish.

Overview

This high quality trout water arises from springs near the Chequamegon National Forest and flows some 17 miles to empty into Lake Superior in the Sioux River Slough north of Washburn. The entire river is an outstanding resource water and several high quality trout streams are tributary to it. The river is a Class II trout fishery for roughly half of its length, and a Class I fishery from County Highway C west. Runs of rainbow and brown trout and coho salmon occur and brook and brown trout are resident in the stream. Past water quality evaluations indicated clear and cool waters upstream, with downstream areas carrying a light load of suspended clay particles. The river and its wetlands provide excellent habitat for nesting and migratory waterfowl and furbearers. One interesting feature of this river is Big Rock Hole, where a deep hole has been delved below a wide flat layer of bedrock. During low flow, this steep layer of bedrock above Big Rock Hole can be a temporary obstacle to migratory trout. Bayfield County maintains a wayside park with camping facilities at Big Rock. WDNR has, through permanent easements, set up public fishing grounds along about three-quarters of a mile of the Sioux River. The Sioux River falls within the South Shore Fish and Wildlife Area. The mouth and estuary are in state ownership, while the river flows through a combination of state and privately held lands. The watershed supports agriculture and forestry among its activities.

The Sioux River enters Lake Superior through extensive wetlands. The area also has a beach and sandstone cliffs that support unique plants. The wetland estuary complex also features a shoreline bog. The estuary connects with that of the Onion River to the north. The Lake Superior Binational Program identified this area as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands, rare communities, vital functions for planning objectives and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds.

The exotic purple loosestrife, an escaped garden perennial, has been a problem in the sloughs at the mouth of the river. Loosestrife can alter the natural wetland water flow and vegetation that wildlife rely on. WDNR Fisheries Management applied a pesticide that was fairly successful. Due to staff and funding shortages, additional WDNR work is not anticipated, but the project may be turned over to The Nature Conservancy (Swanson).

The Sioux River was identified by the Lake Superior Coastal Wetland Evaluation (Epstein 1997) as an aquatic priority site. The fauna was diverse, with 35 taxa present, four of which are rare. Caddisflies, mayflies and beetles were dominants. Management concerns noted included turbidity, low flow, filamentous algae and silt.

From: Turville-Heitz, Meg. 1999. Lake Superior Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date  1999

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Recommendations

Information and Education
The Inland Sea Society proposes to conduct an organizational development and informational & educational project in the Sioux River watershed in Bayfield County. Activities involved with this project will include; organization of a watershed council, compilation of landowner database, compilation of a geographical database, conduct of public informational meetings with the distribution of newsletters, fact sheets, and informational maps, establishment of a monitoring system, training of citizen volunteer monitors, and the development of a strategic action plan for the direction of the watershed council. Reports of ongoing project activities would be disseminated via newsletter(s) or brochures(s), meeting(s), and the preparation of a final report.

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

Watershed Characteristics

Sioux River is located in the Bayfield Peninsula Southeast watershed which is 301.48 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (86.80%), wetland (5.60%) and a mix of grassland (4.10%) and other uses (3.50%). This watershed has 453.79 stream miles, 291,749.17 lake acres and 6,560.31 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

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

Souix River is considered a Coldwater 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.

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