Overview

Mission Lake is a medium hard water seepage lake having slightly acid, clear water of moderate transparency. The immediate shoreline is predominantly upland (70 percent), of hardwood, conifer, pasture and cultivated land with the remainder wetland of bog, conifer and marsh. The littoral materials are muck (60 percent), and sand (40 percent). The growth of floating and emergent aquatic vegetation is moderate, while submergent vegetation is dense. The fish population is comprised of muskellunge, northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, black crappie, pumpkinseed, white sucker, common shiner, golden shiner, emerald shiner, johnny darter, and central mudminnow. An unimproved public boat landing with parking is located on the southeast shore. Mission Lake Park with a beach, picnic area and boat landing is located on the northwest side of the lake. An organizational camp (Lutheran Bible Camp), is the only private development on the shoreline. An intermittent outlet flows to Lake 36-10.

Source: 1977, Surface Water Resources of Marathon County Mission Lake, T27N, R9E, Section 36 Surface Acres = 106.7, Maximum Depth = 26 feet, Secchi Disk = 6 feet

Date  1977

Author   Aquatic Biologist

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

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

Mission Lake is located in the Plover and Little Plover Rivers watershed which is 202.19 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.70%), agricultural (23.60%) and a mix of wetland (18%) and other uses (16.60%). This watershed has stream miles, lake acres and 22,761.70 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.