Marathon
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Lost Creek is presently classified as a Class I trout stream for its entire length. It is unique because it disappears into the ground just before reaching the Plover River. The stream bed is heavily silted in the lower sections and chemicals (weed and insect control) enter the stream via surface runoff. A fish kill occurred in 1973. The creek would benefit from in-stream habitat improvement work. Cropland erosion is a problem in this sub-watershed, leading to the siltation of lower portions of Lost Creek. Farm fields are worked to the very edge of the stream.
Date 1991
Author Aquatic Biologist
Historical Description
Lost Lake is a medium hard water seepage lake having slightly alkaline, light brown water of low transparency. The immediate shoreline is mostly upland (60 percent) of hardwood, conifer, pasture and cultivated land with the remaining shoreline wetland of conifer, hardwood and marsh. The littoral materials consist of muck (80 percent), sand (10 percent), gravel (5 percent), rubble (3 percent), and boulders (2 percent). The lake supports a moderate growth of aquatic vegetation. Fish species inhabiting the lake include northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, bluegill, black crappie, pumpkinseed, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, white sucker, common shiner, golden shiner and central mudminnow. A public access with parking is located on the east shore. One resort is located on the shoreline. An intermittent outlet flows to the Plover River.
Source: 1977, Surface Water Resources of Marathon County Lost Lake, T27N, RIOE, Section 6 Surface Acres = 41.8, Maximum Depth = 22 feet, Secchi Disk = 4 feet
Date 1977
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
Lost Lake (WBIC 1407000) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use. This lake was proposed for listing for total phosphorus in 2018.
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
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 |
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1407000 | Lost Lake | 101675 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL10 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101687 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL22 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101670 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL05 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101667 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL02 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101680 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL15 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101666 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL01 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101679 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL14 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101669 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL04 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101671 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL06 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101686 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL21 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101688 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL23 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101677 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL12 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 10003567 | Lost Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/2/2016 | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 10018167 | Lost Lake -- Access | 6/17/2012 | 7/6/2013 | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101683 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL18 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101672 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL07 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101673 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL08 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101684 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL19 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101676 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL11 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101678 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL13 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101685 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL20 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101674 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL09 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 10032548 | Lost Lake Deep Hole | 10/29/2010 | 1/1/2015 | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101682 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL17 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101668 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL03 | | | Map | Data |
1407000 | Lost Lake | 101681 | Groundwater mini piezometer site - LOL16 | | | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Lost Lake is located in the Plover and Little Plover Rivers watershed which is 202.19 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (41.70%), agricultural (23.60%) and a mix of wetland (18%) and other uses (16.60%). This watershed has stream miles, lake acres and 22,761.70 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.