Overview

Tomahawk Lake, T45N, R9W, Section 20 Surface Acres = 134.1, Maximum Depth = 42 feet, M.P.A. = 30 ppm, Secchi Disk = 11 feet A landlocked, soft water, seepage lake whose fish population consists of walleye, largemouth bass, and panfish. It has a 100 percent sand littoral bottom, and aquatic vegetation is generally scarce. Because of the lack of cover, five log brush shelters were installed in 1964 to concentrate fish and improve fishing. The lake is surrounded by firm upland with birch, oak, aspen, maple, Norway pine, white pine, and Jack pine. Other than a few migratory ducks which use the lake during annual migrations, the lake has very little wildlife value. Because the lake is subject to wide fluctuations in water levels, numerous dead tree stumps dot the shoreline. During extremely high water level periods, the narrow sand bar which separates Tomahawk and Sand Bar Lakes may be under water. Since Sand Bar Lake has no public access this narrow sand bar is used by many as a portage access from Tomahawk to Sand Bar Lake.. Town accesses on both the north and south sides of Tomahawk Lake provide adequate public access to the lake. Another platted access is also available on the north side of the lake, should the need arise. Private development consists of 13 cottages, and 0.26 mile of shoreline is in Town of Barnes ownership.

Date  

Author   Aquatic Biologist

General Condition

Tomahawk Lake (2501700) was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data were clearly below 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use. Chlorophyll sample data were clearly below FAL use listing thresholds and did not exceed REC listing thresholds. 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

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

Watershed Characteristics

Tomahawk Lake is located in the Upper St. Croix and Eau Claire Rivers watershed which is 277.89 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (83.90%), wetland (9.50%) and a mix of open (4.30%) and other uses (2.40%). This watershed has 153.93 stream miles, 7,654.41 lake acres and 13,694.48 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.