Burnett
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No
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Ham Lake, in the Lower Yellow (Burnett Co.) River Watershed, is a 313.28 acre lake that falls in Burnett County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.
Date 2011
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Source: 1966, Surface Water Resources of Burnett County Ham Lake, T40N, R15W, Sections 7, 18
A landlocked, soft water, seepage lake with a fish population composed of northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, perch, black crappie, pumpkinseed, bullhead and white sucker. There are three resorts and 23 cottages on the lake and the onlyaccess is a difficult one off the town road at the west end of the lake. The access is the only public frontage. Lakeshore vegetation is primarily upland hardwoods with a small area of leatherleaf bog at the south end of the lake. The bog area may be used by muskrats, nesting puddle ducks and ring-necked ducks. Migratory diving ducks also use the lake. The lake is subject to occasional partial winterkills on rare occasions.
Surface Acres = 302.8, Maximum Depth = 29 feet, M.P.A. = 14 ppm, Secchi Disk = 11 feet
Date 1966
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
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 |
|---|
| 2467700 | Ham Lake | 10001712 | Ham Lake | 9/5/2000 | 8/10/2022 | Map | Data |
| 2467700 | Ham Lake | 073119 | Ham Lake - Deep Hole | 7/7/1993 | 8/11/2022 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Ham Lake is located in the Lower Yellow (Burnett Co.) River watershed which is 208.95 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (64.90%), wetland (19.60%) and a mix of open (8.80%) and other uses (6.80%). This watershed has 99.73 stream miles, 13,740.17 lake acres and 23,442.16 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.