General Condition
The North Branch Oconto River was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting this designated use and was not considered impaired.
Date 2017
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
Best Management Practices, Implement
Partnering with property owners, Chute Lake Protection & Rehabilitation District #1 is sponsoring a grant to implement water quality and habitat best practices from Wisconsin's Healthy Lakes Implementation Plan. Best practices, including fish sticks, 350 sq. ft. native plantings, diversions, rock infiltration, and/or rain gardens, will be designed and installed according to the Healthy Lakes fact sheets, technical guidance and grant application.
Monitor Water Quality or Sediment
Temperature exceedances in 2017 and 2018. Potentially natural conditions based on temperature class (cool-warm).
Temperature data was NOT collected for purposes of assessing against the temperature criteria. Unknown placement of logger and data may not reflect true thermal conditions. Recommend against listing. If listed, the category should be for 5C as this segment of river is class II trout water and is classified as a Cool-Warm Transitional Mainstem.
Monitor to Evaluate Stream Baseflow
Do cross section measurement of stream discharge to obtain total discharge which was 119.6 CFS
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 |
|---|
| 457800 | North Branch Oconto River | 10020758 | N. Br. Oconto River-Above Bridge Off Logan Rd. | 1/1/2015 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 457800 | North Branch Oconto River | 10031788 | North Branch Oconto River | 10/13/2010 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 457800 | North Branch Oconto River | 10053756 | North Branch Oconto River below Chute Pond | 7/18/2024 | 7/18/2024 | Map | Data |
| 457800 | North Branch Oconto River | 10033860 | North Branch Oconto River downstream STH 32 | 8/8/2011 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 457800 | North Branch Oconto River | 10039612 | North Branch Oconto River-FR 404 | 6/12/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
| 457800 | North Branch Oconto River | 10039609 | North Branch Oconto River-Logan Rd. | 6/12/2012 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
North Branch Oconto River is located in the Lower North Branch Oconto River watershed which is 389.28 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (68.90%), wetland (22.60%) and a mix of agricultural (2.90%) and other uses (5.70%). This watershed has 410.78 stream miles, 5,377.75 lake acres and 51,397.21 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Low 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.