Rusk
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Yes
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Island Lake, in the Holcombe Flowage Watershed, is a 542.64 acre lake that falls in Rusk County. This lake is an outstanding/exceptional resource water under NR102 under the Fisheries Program. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1971, Surface Water Resources of Rusk County Island Lake, T33N, R8W, Section 29
A hard water, drainage lake that has an inlet from nearby McCann Lake and is the headwaters of Swift Creek. This outlet stream has an estimated normal flow of approximately 2.0 cfs. There is a dam with a 7-foot head at the outlet. Walleyes are abundant in the lake, and both muskellunge and northern pike are common. Other species common to the lake include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegills, black crappie, rock bass, pumpkinseed, bullheads, white suckers, and longnose gar. Most of the shoreline is upland hardwood, but bog and swamp are present at the inlet from McCann Lake and in several other sites. Sand comprises about 45 percent of the littoral bottom zone, gravel 40 percent, rock 5 percent and muck 10 percent. Mallards, bluewinged teal, and wood ducks nest here, and the lake receives rather extensive use by other migrating waterfowl. Muskrats are also common. Public frontage consists of 0.02 mile of shoreline owned by Rusk County, 0.01 mile by the Town of Big Bend, and two undeveloped platted access road on the north side of the lake. The lake is extensively developed, having six resorts and 94 cottages.
Surface Acres = 525.7, Maximum Depth = 54 feet, M.P.A. = 65 ppm, Secchi disk = 10 feet
Date 1971
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
General Condition
Island Lake (2350200) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus and chlorophyll sample data were clearly below 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water is meeting this 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
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 |
|---|
| 2350200 | Island Lake | 10018311 | Island Lake Access - NE Side Lake -- S Right-Of-Way Rd | | | Map | Data |
| 2350200 | Island Lake | 553069 | Island Lake - Deep Hole | 7/23/1986 | 9/8/2023 | Map | Data |
| 2350200 | Island Lake | 10018310 | Island Lake -- Access | 9/16/2013 | 9/16/2013 | Map | Data |
| 2350200 | Island Lake | 553181 | Island Lake - Island Lake | 8/14/2007 | 8/14/2007 | Map | Data |
| 2350200 | Island Lake | 10014585 | Island Lake | 7/12/2003 | 6/21/2023 | Map | Data |
| 2350200 | Island Lake | 10007674 | Island Lake - West Basin | 6/27/2005 | 8/20/2021 | Map | Data |
| 2350200 | Island Lake | 10018444 | Island Lake -- Access at Nw Side Lake Off Landing Rd | 7/2/2008 | 8/9/2023 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Island Lake is located in the Holcombe Flowage watershed which is 170.38 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (53.90%), wetland (23.30%) and a mix of open (9.10%) and other uses (13.70%). This watershed has 216.07 stream miles, 6,687.77 lake acres and 19,889.41 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Medium for runoff impacts on lakes and Low for runoff impacts on groundwater and therefore has an overall rank of Low. 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.