Eagle River, Eagle River Watershed (UW44)
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Eagle River, Eagle River Watershed (UW44)
Eagle River (1599500)
11.98 Miles
28.83 - 40.81
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.
Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Cool-Warm Headwater
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.
Good
 
Forest, Oneida
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.
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.
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

Eagle River, in the Eagle River and Sugar Camp Creek Watersheds, is a 40.81 mile river that falls in Forest, Oneida and Vilas Counties. This river is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Recommendations

Lakes Protection Grant
Phases V & VI, Three Lakes Waterfront Association, Inc. is sponsoring a lake protection grant to study Little Fork, Medicine, Round, Island, and Townline Lakes, in Oneida County. The project will focus on developing a Lake Management Plan (LMP) for each lake and the Three Lakes Chain.
Lake Management Plan Implementation
The Town of Washington is sponsoring a project on Anvil Lake, Vilas County. The project will focus on studying water quality and developing an Anvil Lake Management Plan (LMP). Project activities include: 1) Develop water and P budget; 2) Water quality evaluation and groundwater assessment; 3) WiLMS simulation modeling; 4) Stakeholder participation; 5) Collect sediment cores for historical and future lake water quality assessment; 6) Implementation of County sewage ordinance and association shoreline restoration project; 7) Develop annual reports, a scientific investigations report and LMP.
Educate and engage residents
The Northwoods Land Trust will conduct a direct-mail education campaign to all property owners on priority river and stream segments in Vilas County that were identified by the DNR Northern Rivers Initiative. An information packet will be provided highlighting voluntary conservation options property owners can utilize to protect the priority river and stream corridors. These options include Land Protection Agreement (Conservation Easement), Land Donation, Land Registry and Conservation Buyer programs. Specific activities will be: * Identify all property owners with natural shoreland frontage along all of the priority river and stream segments in Vilas County. * Assemble and mail information packets on conservation options to all identified property owners. * Follow-up contacts with interested landowners to provide legal and technical assistance for conservation options. Specific products or deliverables will include: * Maps showing parcels with existing natural shoreline. * Generalized list of landowner follow-up contacts. It is anticipated this project will result in one or more landowner commitment to donate a conservation easement to permanently protect their river or stream shoreline but this result can not be guaranteed.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
"The data from 2011 and 2015 appear to meet the minimum data requirements and show an impairment for a two-story lake. Deer Lake is part of the Three Lakes Chain which contains multiple two-story lakes. However, the bathymetry of Deer Lake itself would not support a two-story fishery. Cisco are a transient fish in the lake according to the DNR two-story fishery list. " Agree that this is a transient two-story fishery. TP is still high enough to be listed, but recommend further monitoring in the future.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
"The data from 2011 and 2015 appear to meet the minimum data requirements and show an impairment for a two-story lake. Dog Lake is part of the Three Lakes Chain which contains multiple two-story lakes. However, the bathymetry of Dog Lake itself would not support a two-story fishery. Cisco are a transient fish in the lake according to the DNR two-story fishery list." Agree that this is a transient two-story fishery. TP is still high enough to be listed, but recommend further monitoring in the future.

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
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning - Ph. 2 Big Stone Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Management Planning - Big Lake, Phase I2010
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle River Chain Chemical Residual Monitoring Project2008
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Yellow Birch Lake Clean Boats Clean Waters 20132013
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Unified Lower Eagle River Chain of Lakes Commision 2016 Clean Boats Clean Waters2016
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Environmental Monitoring Phase II - Laurel2021
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Environmental Monitoring Phase II - Deer2021
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 1 Big Stone Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 1 Crystal Lake2011
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle River Chain of Lakes AIS Project2007
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Long Lake & Eagle River Management Planning Project, Phase 22009
TOWN OF THREE LAKES: Town of Three Lakes Education Prevention & Planning Project2008
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Eagle Lake AIS Navy Project2007
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle River Chain of Lakes AIS Project, Phase III2010
TOWN OF THREE LAKES: Burnt Rollways Dam & Eagle River Eurasian Watermilfoil Rapid Response Project2008
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Clean Boats Clean Waters Training2006
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: LMI-Three Lakes Management Planning Project, Phases V & VI2013
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle and Catfish Lake Clean Boats Clean Waters Projcet 20142014
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Yellow Birch Lake 2015 Clean Boats Clean Waters Project2015
TOWN OF THREE LAKES: AIS Boat Inspection, Education & Rapid Response Projects2005
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 1 Deer Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Management Planning - Big Lake, Phase II2010
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Management Planning - Long Lake Phase II2010
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Eagle River Chain of Lakes Clean Boat Clean Water Coordinator Program2010
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle River Chain AIS Project phase 1: Monitoring & Stakeholder Participation2008
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 3 Virgin Lake2011
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Eagle River Chain of Lakes Management Plan, Phase IV2017
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Env. Monit. Ph V - Data & Reporting2024
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Unified Lower Eagle River Chain Of Lakes Com 2017 CBCW2017
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Environmental Monitoring Phase II - Dog2021
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Environmental Monitoring Phase II - Big Stone2021
UW SYSTEM BOARD OF REGEGENTS: LMI - Wild Rice: Development of a Population Risk Assessment Tool2021
TOWN OF THREE LAKES: Long Lake/Eagle River Eurasian Water Milfoil Control Project2007
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Long Lake & Eagle River Management Planning Project, Phase 12009
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Long Lake & Eagle River Management Planning Project, Phase 32009
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Management Planning - Long Lake Phase I2010
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Eagle Lake Aquatic Plant Survey & APM Plan2005
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle River Chain of Lakes AIS Project - Phase 42010
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle River Chain AIS Project Phase 2: Treatment Implementation2008
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 1 Dog Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 1 Laurel Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 2 Laurel Lake2011
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Eagle River Chain Of Lakes Assoc 2017 CBCW2017
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Env. Monit. and AIS Educ./Prev.2020
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: 2020-22 Eagle River Chain EWM Hand-Harvesting & Monitoring2020
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 2 Crystal Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain - Long & Virgin Lakes EWM Management 2024-20262024
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Waterfront Association 2020 CBCW2020
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Duck Lake Aquatic Plant Survey & APM Plan2005
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Catfish Lake Aquatic Plant Survey & APM Plan2005
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Otter Lake Aquatic Plant Survey & APM Plan2005
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Eagle River Chain Lake Management Planning Project Phase 12013
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: HLR - 2024 Eagle River Chain Healthy Lakes Projects2024
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Yellow Birch Lake Clean Boats Clean Water Project 20142014
CRANBERRY LAKE/FLOWAGE ASSOCIATION: Cranberry Lake and Flowage Education and Planning Grant2019
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Lynx Lake Aquatic Plant Survey & APM Plan2005
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Cranberry Lake Aquatic Plant Survey & APM Plan2005
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 2 Deer Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Env. Monit. Ph V - Little Fork2024
VILAS COUNTY: PREV - Vilas County 2024 Prohibited & Priority Species Prevention & Monitoring Project2024
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Eagle RIver Chain of Lakes Association 2016 Clean Boats Clean Waters2016
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Waterfront Association 2017 CBCW2017
Fish Propagation Actions2001
UNIFIED LOWER EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES COM: Eagle River Chain AIS Project, Phase II2008
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: Voyageur Lake Aquatic Plant Survey & APM Plan2005
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Long Lake & Eagle River Management Planning Project, Phase 42009
TOWN OF THREE LAKES: AIS Boat Inspection, Education, Rapid Response & Adopt a Shoreline Project2006
TOWN OF THREE LAKES: AIS Education, Prevention & Planning Project2007
TOWN OF WASHINGTON: LMI-Lake Management Plan Implementation Project for Anvil Lake2011
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Mgt. Planning Project - Ph. 2 Dog Lake2011
NORTHWOODS LAND TRUST, INC.: Vilas County River Conservation2006
THREE LAKES WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION: Three Lakes Chain Env. Monit. Ph V - Medicine2024
EAGLE RIVER CHAIN OF LAKES ASSOC: Eagle River Chain Of Lakes Assoc 2018 CBCW2018

Monitoring Projects

WBICOfficial Waterbody NameStation IDStation NameEarliest Fieldwork DateLatest Fieldwork DateView StationView Data
1599500Eagle River10035382Eagle River - Area of Open WaterMapData
1599500Eagle River10035845Eagle River - Area of Open WaterMapData
1599500Eagle River10036376Eagle River - Area of Open WaterMapData
1599500Eagle River10035182Eagle River - Area of Open WaterMapData

Watershed Characteristics

Eagle River is located in the Eagle River watershed which is 181.70 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (55.60%), wetland (28%) and a mix of open (12.90%) and other uses (3.50%). This watershed has 146.13 stream miles, 15,720.03 lake acres and 32,094.84 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

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

Eagle River is considered a Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Cool-Warm Headwater 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.

Cool (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.

Cool (Cold-Transition) Headwaters are small, usually perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon (<10 per 100 m), transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.