Price
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Historical Description
Source: 1983, Surface Water Resources of Price County
Elk Lake, T37N, RIE, Section 7, 18
Surface Area = 88.5 acres, Maximum Depth = 25 ft, MPA = 35 ppm,
Secchi disk = 4 ft
Elk Lake is a soft water, drainage lake with an outlet flow
of 75.3 ft(3)sec. It is located on the Elk River between Duroy
Lake and Long Lake. Its water level is controlled by Jobes Dam,
which is 3 miles downstream. Most of the lake is within the city
limits of Phillips. Its fishery includes muskellunge, northern
pike, walleyes, perch, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
bluegills, black crappies, rock bass, pumpkinseeds, white
suckers, redhorse, burbots, troutperch and logperch.
The littoral bottom is 80% sand, 15% gravel and 5% muck.
Scattered areas of aquatic vegetation can be found throughout the
lake. Steep bank is found along almost all the lake's north
side. Mallards and teal nest in the lake each year. Other than
ducks, wildlife values are limited.
Private development consists of six homes, two cemeteries
and several factories and small businesses. Public access is
limited to a small boat carry-in, located at the public beach on
the side of the lake. In addition, the access to Duroy Lake is
just upstream from Elk Lake. The City of Phillips owns 0.57 mile
of the Elk Lake shoreline.
Date 1983
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
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
Protect Riparian or Shorelands
Price County is sponsoring a project to restore 250 feet of shoreline habitat along the Elk River. There is an unstable 25 foot face that is actively eroding and needs to be stabilized. Fish- wildlife habitat and water quality will be improved. Project goals: 1) Reduce sediment and nutrient delivery; 2) Reduce instream sedimentation to improve fish spawning habitat; 3) Restore shore land habitat for wildlife; 4) Improve water quality; 5) Protect existing resources.
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 |
|---|
| 2240000 | Elk Lake | 513190 | Elk Lake - Phillips City Beach | 5/24/2005 | 8/30/2010 | Map | Data |
| 2240000 | Elk Lake | 10005207 | Elk Lake | 8/29/2000 | 9/21/2017 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Elk Lake is located in the Elk River watershed which is 261.12 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (51.70%), wetland (37.40%) and a mix of grassland (4.70%) and other uses (6.20%). This watershed has 254.00 stream miles, 2,883.84 lake acres and 49,382.72 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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.