Overview

Green Bay is by far the most important surface water resource in Brown County in terms of recreational potential. The bay served as a natural starting point for early settlement and transportation to the interior of Wisconsin via the Fox River. The Fox River is also very important as a determinant of the water quality in lower Green Bay. The bottom materials of the lower bay consist of a very loose, flocculent sediment. As a result the water clarity changes significantly over short periods of time due to the ease with which these materials become resuspended in the water. Chemically Green Bay is a hard water alkaline basin which has a total alkalinity of 143 mg/l. Green Bay receives a large nutrient load from industrial, municipal, and agricultural sources.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Nutrient levels consistently exceed 0.1 mg per liter of nitrogen and .02 mg per liter of phosphorus, enough to create bloom conditions. Heavy algae blooms are common and have caused oxygen depletion in some sections of the bay creating isolated fish kills during the summer months. In addition, the Bay has been used as a dumping grounds compounding the problem. Green bay is heavily developed with permanent and seasonal dwellings along the southeast shore and in scattered sections on the west shore. Extensive wetlands in the southwest corner limit development and provide habitat for waterfowl and wildlife. This habitat is rapidly being diminished through the steady encroachment of man-deposited fill into the marsh. The fishery of Green Bay has changed drastically in the past three decades. Once a fishery of carp, northern pike, drum, suckers, white bass, bullheads, catfish, and an abundant of perch was present.

Today conditions in the area of Brown County have gotten so bad that only carp dominate the scene for in shore waters. Even the perch, which is noted for being able to tolerate very poor water quality, has been eliminated as a permanent feature of the fishery and furnishes a seasonal sport fishery near the mouths of oxygen bearing streams. The commercial fishery which formerly harvested mostly perch, whitefish, and some lake trout has now moved out of southern Green Bay in search of these fish species. The commercial catch for all of Green Bay has vacillated, declining from 15,768,000 pounds (61.7 percent of the total Lake Michigan catch) in 1949 to 6,636,000 pounds (31.6 percent of the total Lake Michigan catch) in 1963. In 1971 the yield jumped to 17,242,000 pounds primarily as a result of increased alewife harvest. Alewife now dominates the commercial catch. For additional fishery information see the Fox River narrative. In the more stable years of the fishery yields to the commercial fishery for the Bay as a whole ranged between 10.4 and 19.6 pounds per acre.

Public access is available from several road endings, public hunting grounds, public access sites with boat ramps, and navigable water from the Suamico and Fox Rivers, and Duck Creek. There are also parks and waysides providing walk-in access. A 26 foot deep navigation channel 300-500 feet wide cuts through the south end of the bay and affords access of large ships to the city of Green Bay. Source: 1972, Surface Water Resources of Brown County Green Bay, T24, 25N, R21, 22E, Sections-many Area = approx. 49,000 acres in Brown Co., Depth =26 ft

Date  1972

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

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

Green Bay is located in the Lower Peshtigo River watershed which is 194.98 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily wetland (40.10%), forest (24.10%) and a mix of agricultural (21.90%) and other uses (14.00%). This watershed has 281.45 stream miles, 7,822.68 lake acres and 39,769.86 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Medium 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.