Dane
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No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Mud Lake (Marx Pond) is actually a marshy bay of Fish Lake. Mud Lake is connected to Fish Lake by a culvert. The lake provides excellent spawning habitat for northern pike and largemouth bass. The lake also provided excellent habitat for waterfowl. Although winterkills occur occasionally, the lake is still able to support a healthy fishery. The lake is a part of the hydrologic studies currently being conducted on Fish and Crystal Lakes.
Date 2002
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1985, Surface Water Resources of Dane County,WI: WI-DNR Mud Lake (Marx Pond) (Town of Roxbury) - T9N, R7E, Sec. 4
This shallow, marshy bay of Fish Lake was separated from its parent body of water by a road fill. Mud Lake is connected to Fish Lake by a culvert and provides excellent spawning habitat for northern pike and largemouth bass. This pond also provides optimum habitat for waterfowl and is listed in wetlands inventories as a shallow marsh surrounded by deep marsh. Winterkills occur occasionally, but the lake still supports an excellent panfish, largemouth bass, and northern pike fishery. Public access is available at the town road crossing over the culvert connecting Mud Lake to Fish Lake. Fish species: northern pike, common carp, golden shiner, white sucker, black bullhead, pumpkinseed, bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie, and yellow parch.
Surface acres = 54, SDF = 1.18, Maximum,depth = 8 ft
Date 1985
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Mud Lake (WBIC 1006500) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was not meeting its designated uses and was considered impaired; therefore, it was proposed that this water be added to the impaired waters list.
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
Lake Classification
Dane County Lake Classification-Phase 2: The Phase 1 classification grant classified all county lakes and streams. This grant will take the next step by developing a management program based on the classification.
Lake Classification
Dane County Department of Planning and Development will hire a project staff in order to develop a Lake Classification project, which is seen as the first step toward developing a consistent set of county-wide standards and procedures to protect Dane County Waters.
Land Acquisition
Dane County Parks Department will acquire 58 acres of land adjacent to Mud Lake in the Town of Roxbury in order to restore native vegetation and provide a permanent buffer that will filter upstream runoff before it enters Mud Lake and Fish Lakes. The acquisition of this property will protect the land and the waters from further degradation.
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 |
|---|
| 1006500 | Mud Lake | 10031626 | Mud Lake at Culvert to Fish Lake | 8/17/2010 | 8/17/2010 | Map | Data |
| 1006500 | Mud Lake | 10015037 | Mud Lake | 6/18/1997 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 1006500 | Mud Lake | 10001217 | Mud Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Mud Lake is located in the Roxbury Creek watershed which is 71.11 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (40.40%), forest (28.50%) and a mix of wetland (12.80%) and other uses (18.30%). This watershed has 111.73 stream miles, 988.84 lake acres and 4,432.98 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available 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.