Washburn
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Slim Lake, in the Brill and Red Cedar Rivers Watershed, is a 209.86 acre lake that falls in Washburn County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2015
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1978, Surface Water Resources of Washburn County Slim Lake, T38N, R10W, Section 1, 2,
A hard water, drainage lake on Slim Creek, near its headwaters. The estimated normal flow of outlet is 0.4 cubic feet per second. The small inlet stream from the southeast has a flow of about 0.1 cubic feet per second. The fish population is made up of walleyes, largemouth bass, a few smallmouth bass, bluegills, perch, pumpkinseeds, rock bass, and white suckers. The lake is an elongated, single-basined lake with steeply sloping shoreline on the north and south sides. Most of the shore is wooded with hardwoods except for a farm in the northeast corner. The shoreline is 51 percent sand, 38 percent gravel and 11 percent boulder. There are practically no wetlands around the lake. Aquatic vegetation growth is moderate. A shallow, gravel-bottomed shoal area is located midway along the south shore. Submergent pondweed growth is prevalent on this shoal. Furbearer use is small but a few mallards and wood ducks nest around the lake. Private lakeshore development includes a small resort and boat rental and 14 cottages. The lake has no public frontage or public access.
Surface Acres-223.5, Maximum Depth-42 feet, M.P.A.-85 ppm, Secchi Disk-13 feet
Date 1978
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Slim Lake (WBIC 2109300) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2014. This lake was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new chlorophyll-a sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and the Fish and Aquatic Life use. Total Phosphorus sample data nearly exceeded the listing thresholds. Based on the most updated information, no change in the existing impaired waters listing was needed.
Date 2017
Author Ashley Beranek
Impaired Waters
Slim Lake (2109300) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2014. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data exceed 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use, however chlorophyll data do not exceed REC or FAL thresholds. 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
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 |
|---|
| 2109300 | Slim Lake | 10006713 | Slim Lake | 9/5/2000 | 7/2/2019 | Map | Data |
| 2109300 | Slim Lake | 663053 | Slim Lake - Deep Hole | 9/27/1997 | 9/10/2024 | Map | Data |
| 2109300 | Slim Lake | 10018256 | Slim Lake -- Access | 7/5/2007 | 7/16/2022 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Slim Lake is located in the Brill and Red Cedar Rivers watershed which is 297.68 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (49.40%), agricultural (20.30%) and a mix of grassland (10.70%) and other uses (19.60%). This watershed has 264.90 stream miles, 6,282.34 lake acres and 15,832.05 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Medium for runoff impacts on streams, Medium 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.