Washburn
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Mud Lake, in the Brill and Red Cedar Rivers Watershed, is a 126.18 acre lake that falls in Washburn County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1978, Surface Water Resources of Washburn County Mud Lake, T38N, R10W, Section 31, Surface Acres-102.7, Maximum Depth-13 feet, M.P.A.-121 ppm, Secchi Disk-2 feet A hard water, drainage lake with a broad outlet stream flowing north into nearby Long Lake in the southeast part of the county. A small inlet stream enters Mud Lake from the south through a wild rice marsh. The lake fishery is composed of northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegills, black crappies, pumpkinseeds, bullheads, white suckers and a few walleyes. There are evidently springs in the lake that provide an additional flow besides that of the inlet. The outlet flow is estimated to be 3.5 cubic feet per second. Wetlands amounting to 130 acres of sedge meadow are found off the inlet and the outlet. Much of the lake bottom is muck covered except for scattered areas of sand and gravel along the east and west shores. Aquatic vegetation growth is common. Waterfowl use the lake extensively in spring and fall. Nesting ducks include mallards, black ducks, teal and wood ducks. There are five cottages on the lakeshore. There is no public frontage or access except by water from Long Lake.
Date 1978
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
| Project Name (Click for Details) | Year Started |
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Monitoring Projects
| WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
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| 2107700 | Mud Lake | 663097 | Mud Lake - Deep Hole (T38n R10w S31 Nenw) | 4/26/1994 | 9/7/2022 | Map | Data |
| 2107700 | Mud Lake | 663062 | Long Lake - Nr Mud Lk Outlet | 4/27/1999 | 8/26/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2107700 | Mud Lake | 10006888 | Mud Lake | 9/5/2000 | 10/3/2016 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Mud Lake is located in the Brill and Red Cedar Rivers watershed which is 297.68 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (49.40%), agricultural (20.30%) and a mix of grassland (10.70%) and other uses (19.60%). This watershed has 264.90 stream miles, 6,282.34 lake acres and 15,832.05 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Medium 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.