Overview

The river supports a warm water fishery along its entire length. Agricultural NPS pollution limits the river from achieving its full potential as a warm water fishery.

A diverse wetlands complex is associated with the river along its lower reach. These wetlands have extremely high wildlife value and are used heavily by nesting and migrating waterfowl. A large portion of the wetlands are included in the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge. These wetlands have been identified as having a very high sedimentation rate which continually degrades the quality and benefits of the wetlands.

Date  1991

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Impaired Waters

Buffalo River from its mouth at Mississippi River to Harvey Creek (miles 0 to 29.82) was evaluated every two-year cycle from 2012 to 2022; phosphorus was identified as too high in the 2012 cycle. Elevated phosphorus was confirmed in several following cycles.

Buffalo River from Harvey Creek to Buffalo-Trempealeau county line (miles 29.82 to 42.36) was evaluated every two-year cycle from 2012 to 2018; phosphorus was identified as too high in the 2012 cycle. Elevated phosphorus was confirmed in several following cycles.

Buffalo River from Strum Lake inlet to the forks in Osseo (miles 54.47 to 67.56) was listed for phosphorus in the 2014 cycle.

Buffalo River from Buffalo-Trempealeau county line to Strum Lake (West /downstream of Strum Lake) (miles 42.37 to 53.76) was evaluated for phosphorus and/or biology every two years between 2014 and 2022. Phosphorus levels were found to be too high, but fish communities were in good health.

Date  2022

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

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

Buffalo River is located in the Upper Buffalo River watershed which is 194.36 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.70%), agricultural (33.70%) and a mix of grassland (17.50%) and other uses (7.10%). This watershed has 438.86 stream miles, 85.35 lake acres and 6,107.52 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked High 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.