Portage
No
No
No
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Pickerel Lake is a clear, hard water seepage lake located one-half mile north of Blaine. It has a sand bottom with a gentle slope to the center of the lake. The lake is surrounded by a popple and hardwood forest. At one time this lake offered good fishing for bass and panfish, however, several severe winterkills, coupled with low water levels, has reduced the fishery to bullheads and suckers. Severe algae blooms turn the lake pea green by late summer and it has been chemical treated several times for this condition. Oxygen depletion and corresponding fish kills during the summer are not uncommon due to the algae problem. Most of the shoreline is owned by Asbury Acres, a Methodist church camp. The land is also a wildlife refuge. A small public access with an unimproved boat launch is present on the east end. The only developed beach belongs to the camp. Boating and swimming by the camp are the major recreation uses of the lake.
Surface Acres-39.8, S.D.F.-1.34, Maximum Depth-16 feet
Source: 1972, Surface Water Resources of Portage County Pickerel Lake, T21N, R10E, Sections 5, 6
Date 1972
Author Aquatic Biologist
General Condition
Pickerel Lake (195900) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus and chlorophyll sample data were clearly below 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water is meeting these designated uses and is not considered impaired.
Date 2015
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 Management Plan Implementation
Portage County proposes to offer technical assistance and other coordination and outreach services to citizens involved in the development of lake management plans and the implementation of shoreland restoration practices on their riparian properties. Major project elements to include outreach and coordination.
County Land and Water Management Plan
The Portage Co. Land Conservation Dept. proposes to conduct a series of studies to help shape the management of 28 Portage County lakes, and to help local planners in the development of land use regulations in the vicinity of these lakes. Major project elements to include: 1) Citizen surveys, 2) Planning meetings, 3) I&E, including web-based reports and access to data, 4) Development of a menu of management options, 5) Baseline Land-use Inventory, 6) Calculation of build-out impacts based on existing regulatory framework, 7) Development of guide for local planners.
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 |
|---|
| 195900 | Pickerel Lake | 10005100 | Pickerel Lake | 7/27/1999 | 6/25/2020 | Map | Data |
| 195900 | Pickerel Lake | 503120 | Pickerel Lake - Deep Hole | 7/12/2011 | 8/2/2024 | Map | Data |
| 195900 | Pickerel Lake | 10046675 | Phragmites Occurrence - Pickerel Lake | 7/15/2015 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
| 195900 | Pickerel Lake | 10018140 | Pickerel Lake -- Access | 5/30/2009 | 10/18/2018 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Pickerel Lake is located in the Waupaca River watershed which is 290.77 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (43.70%), agricultural (30.40%) and a mix of grassland (14%) and other uses (11.80%). This watershed has 231.34 stream miles, 2,456.10 lake acres and 14,124.68 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium 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.