29.62 Acres
Deep Seepage
2023
Good
Impairment Unknown
Mercury, Total Phosphorus
Chippewa
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Hemlock Lake, in the McCann Creek and Fisher River Watershed, is a 29.62 acre lake that falls in Chippewa County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1963, Surface Water Resources of Chippewa County Hemlock Lake T31N, R8W, Section 16 = 17 feet Surface Acres = 28.0, S.D.F.= 2.08, Maximum Depth.
A soft water, seepage lake, landlocked and connected by a channel to Beaver Lake which is also landlocked. These lakes were previously rehabilitated in 1961 and have now been restocked with northern pike and largemouth bass. Hemlock Lake has an occasional partial kill. Muskrats are common and mallards, teal and wood ducks use the lake area for nesting. Public frontage consists of one town road access with limited parking area. There are two cottages on the lake. It is surrounded by private Forest Cropland.
Date 1963
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Hemlock Lake (1853400) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2012. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation, however, chlorophyll data do not exceed REC thresholds. Total phosphorus and chlorophyll data clearly met thresholds for Fish and Aquatic Life use. Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing is needed.
Date 2015
Author Aaron Larson
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
WBIC | Official Waterbody Name | Station ID | Station Name | Earliest Fieldwork Date | Latest Fieldwork Date | View Station | View Data |
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1853400 | Hemlock Lake | 10001976 | Hemlock Lake | 8/29/2000 | 8/19/2017 | Map | Data |
1853400 | Hemlock Lake | 093174 | Hemlock Lake - Deep Hole | 8/12/2005 | 7/31/2023 | Map | Data |
1853400 | Hemlock Lake | 10034741 | Hemlock Lake - Boat Launch off 224th Ave | 10/11/2011 | 10/11/2011 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Hemlock Lake is located in the McCann Creek and Fisher River watershed which is 311.06 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (39.20%), agricultural (22.90%) and a mix of wetland (22.10%) and other uses (15.80%). This watershed has 385.14 stream miles, 3,485.11 lake acres and 33,345.65 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.
Hemlock Lake is considered a Deep Seepage 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.
Deep seepage lake describes the depth and hydrologic charactertistics of the lake. These variables affect the lakes response to watershed variables.