Oneida
No
No
Yes
Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Big Stone Lake, T38N, R11E, Section 3 Surface Acres = 507.1, S.D.F. = 1.50, Maximum Depth = 57 feet.
A soft water drainage lake having slightly acid, light brown water of moderate transparency. Sand is the principal littoral material (60 percent) with significant areas of gravel, rock and muck. The entire shoreline is in the mixed upland. Muskellunge, northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, perch, bluegill, crappie, rock bass, pumpkinseed, bullhead, cisco and sucker inhabit this lake. Public access without parking and by navigable water is available on this lake. Commercial facilities consist of eight resorts and two boat rentals. There are 56 dwellings located on the shoreline. Two marinas, riding stable, golf course and private campground provide other public use facilities. Part of the Three Lakes Chain, the water levels are influenced by a dam on the Eagle River below Long Lake.
Date
Author Aquatic Biologist
Impaired Waters
Big Stone Lake (WBIC 1612200) was placed on the impaired waters list for Mercury in fish tissue in 1998 and total phosphorus in 2014. Evaluations every two years between 2016 and 2020 showed continued impairment by phosphorus. This water is considered impaired for phosphorus, but has shown no issues with algal blooms.
Date 2019
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 |
|---|
| 1612200 | Big Stone Lake | 10042852 | Deer Lake Big Stone Lake Thoroughfare | 9/13/2014 | 9/13/2014 | Map | Data |
| 1611800 | Laurel Lake | 10004582 | Laurel Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
| 1612200 | Big Stone Lake | 10018958 | Big Stone Lake -- Access Nr Chicken In The Woods Rd | 8/13/2005 | 7/7/2023 | Map | Data |
| 1612300 | Deer Lake | 10004584 | Deer Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
| 1612200 | Big Stone Lake | 10018721 | Big Stone Lake -- Access Nr Connors Rd | 8/25/2007 | 9/2/2011 | Map | Data |
| 1612200 | Big Stone Lake | 10018722 | Big Stone Lake -- Anchor Marina | 9/25/2004 | 9/1/2024 | Map | Data |
| 1612200 | Big Stone Lake | 443033 | Big Stone Lake - Max Depth | 8/11/1993 | 10/20/2022 | Map | Data |
| 1612200 | Big Stone Lake | 10004281 | Big Stone Lake | 4/22/1994 | 7/13/2022 | Map | Data |
| 1599500 | Eagle River | 10004582 | Laurel Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
| 1599500 | Eagle River | 10004584 | Deer Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
| 1612400 | Crystal Creek | 10004584 | Deer Lake | 7/27/1999 | 9/30/2017 | Map | Data |
|
Watershed Characteristics
Big Stone Lake is located in the Eagle River watershed which is 181.70 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (55.60%), wetland (28%) and a mix of open (12.90%) and other uses (3.50%). This watershed has 146.13 stream miles, 15,720.03 lake acres and 32,094.84 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, High 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.