10.50 Miles
12.36 - 22.86
Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Coldwater
2016
Poor
Impairment Unknown
Total Phosphorus
Juneau, Monroe
Yes
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
The Little Lemonweir River begins in eastern Monroe County and flows east to its confluence
with the Lemonweir River 26 miles later at New Lisbon in Juneau County. The lower six
miles support a warm water sport fishery. Moving upstream, the Little Lemonweir River then
transitions to a cold water fishery near HWY 12/18. For 4.3 miles upstream of this bridge, the
Little Lemonweir River is a Class III trout stream, then Class II for another 6 miles, then
finally Class I for the uppermost mile in Monroe County, totaling 11.3 miles of trout water.
The one mile of Class I trout water is also designated as an Exceptional Resource Water (ERW). The WDNR's Fisheries Management program has acquired fishing easements along
portions of this stream in Juneau County. An improvement in stream and fishery health has
been seeen as a result of these easements. Nonpoint source problems affecting the Little
Lemonweir River are cattle grazing of streambanks and barnyard runoff. Since the most
recent biological survey was conducted in 1969, a fish and habitat survey should be conducted
of the Little Lemonweir River to determine existing conditions and classification.
Date 2002
Author Cynthia Koperski
Historical Description
The Little Lemonweir rises in eastern Monroe County and flows east to its confluence
with the Lemonweir River in Juneau County. The lower six miles are warm water sport
fishery (Ironside, 1991). About 11.3 miles of the stream's length are trout waters
(WDNR, 1980). One mile of the this is Class I trout water and also considered
exceptional resource waters under the state's antidegradation rules. WDNR's Fisheries
Management program is acquiring assessments along portions of the stream in Juneau
County. There are some nonpoint source problems, particularly cattle grazing and
trampling banks and runoff from barnyards, which are believed to be affecting in-stream
habitat (Ironside, 1991).
Date 1994
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Between the 2012 and 2014 assessment cycles the entire Little Lemonweir River (WBIC 1306100) was listed for total phosphorus. This water was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) and temperature sample data were clearly below 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date 2017
Author Ashley Beranek
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
Monitor Fish Community
AU 948033, poor fIBI, Station 10012170
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 |
|---|
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10015150 | Little Lemonweir River Station 4 1959 - South School House In Ne 1/4 Of S17 | | | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10015153 | Little Lemonweir River Station 19 1969 - Kirkwood Ave. Bridge Crossing | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10014487 | Little Lemonweir R. St 7 1956 - Cth N Bridge Crossing In S15 | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 423079 | Lemonweir River - Ne1/4ofne1/4 Sec 13 | | | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10014486 | Little Lemonweir R. St 6 1956 - Cth W Bridge Crossing | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10014489 | Little Lemonweir R. St 13 1956 - Kipper Ave. Bridge Crossing | | | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10014484 | Little Lemonweir R. St4 1956 - Krypton Rd(33rd Ln) Bridge Crossing | 5/15/1980 | 5/7/2016 | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10014485 | Little Lemonweir R. St5 1956- A Point In The Ne 1/4 Of S14 | | | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10011312 | Little Lemonweir River - Little Lemonweir River Station #1 Bridge On Cth N (Dnr) | | | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10014488 | Little Lemonweir R. St 11 1956 - Cth N Bridge Crossing In Ne 1/4 Ne 1/4 Of S16 | | | Map | Data |
| 1306100 | Little Lemonweir River | 10015154 | Little Lemonweir River Station 20 1969 - Kipper Ave. Bridge Crossing In Sw 1/4 Sw 1/4 S8 | | | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Little Lemonweir River is located in the Little Lemonweir River watershed which is 218.01 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (33.10%), agricultural (28.30%) and a mix of wetland (17.20%) and other uses (21.40%). This watershed has 488.22 stream miles, 1,656.86 lake acres and 18,277.64 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Low 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.
Little Lemonweir River is considered a Cool-Cold Mainstem, Cool-Cold Headwater, Cool-Warm Mainstem, Coldwater 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 (Cold-Transition) Mainstem streams are moderate-to-large but still wadeable perennial streams with cold to cool summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are common to uncommon, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are uncommon to absent. Headwater species are common to absent,
mainstem species are abundant to common, and river species are common to 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.