Green Lake
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Little Twin Lake, in the Big Green Lake Watershed, is a 25.20 acre lake that falls in Green Lake County. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.
Date 2022
Author Ashley Beranek
Historical Description
Source: 1971, Surface Water Resources of Green Lake County Little Twin Lake, T-15-N, R-13-E, Section 5 Surface Acres = 33.2; S.D.F. = 2.50 Maximum Depth = 11 feet.
Little Twin Lake is located a short distance east of Big Twin and connected to it by a dug channel. An outlet, Hill Creek, drains both lakes during peak runoff periods, but dries up in late summer. A small dam and fish barrier is constructed on the outlet to prevent carp from returning from Big Green Lake. During 1963, Little Twin was chemically treated to remove a large carp population. Bottom materials consist mostly of muck with some sand also present. The major importance of this lake is the spawning habitat provided for the fish from Big Twin. In mid to late summer the lake becomes very weedy prohibiting most recreational endeavors. The fishery is the same as in Big Twin; ducks, geese, and muskrats use the lake heavily. The only means of public access is by the navigable channel from Big Twin.
Date 1971
Author Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin
Impaired Waters
Little Twin Lake was evaluated in the 2022 cycle: phosphorus levels were above listing thresholds as outlined in 2022 WisCALM. This lake was added to the 2022 Impaired Waters List.
Date 2022
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
Shoreland Monitoring, Assessment, Inventory
Green Lake County will conduct a land use and environmental resource inventory of the watershed surrounding Green Lake, Little Green Lake, and Lake Puckaway. The information from the study will be used to update the existing zoning and shoreland protection ordinances and to assess the need for a storm water management ordinance in the County, the stormwater management ordinance, if its need is determined, will be written
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 |
|---|
| 146400 | Little Twin Lake | 243023 | Little Twin Lake - Deep Hole | 1/31/2005 | 9/25/2024 | Map | Data |
| 146400 | Little Twin Lake | 10002712 | Little Twin Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Little Twin Lake is located in the Big Green Lake watershed which is 107.31 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (54.10%), open (12%) and a mix of grassland (10.10%) and other uses (23.70%). This watershed has 141.08 stream miles, 655.29 lake acres and 5,102.67 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Available for runoff impacts on streams, Not Ranked 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.