Stone Lake, Couderay River Watershed (UC20)
Stone Lake, Couderay River Watershed (UC20)
Stone Lake (1884100)
489.91 Acres
Natural Community
Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.
Deep Seepage
Year Last Monitored
This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.
2024
Excellent
 
Washburn
Trout Water 
Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.
Yes
Impaired Water 
A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.
Deep Seepage
Deep seepage lake describes the depth and hydrologic charactertistics of the lake. These variables affect the lakes response to watershed variables.
Attainable Use
The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.
Designated Use
This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.
Default FAL
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.

Overview

Stone Lake, in the Couderay River Watershed, is a 489.90 acre lake that falls in Washburn County. This lake is an outstanding/exceptional resource water under NR102 under the Fisheries Program. This lake is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date  2011

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Source: 1978, Surface Water Resources of Washburn County Stone Lake, T39N, R1OW, Section 23, 24, 25, 26,

A soft water, seepage lake on the east edge of the county. It is a clear water, landlocked lake. Its fishery is made up ofwalleyes, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegills, perch, black crappies, pumpkinseeds, rock bass, white suckers and carp. It is questionable whether carp have been a detriment to the lake. Aquatic vegetation growth has always been rather sparse here. An increase in the modest, midsummer algal bloom has probably occurred. Little Stone Lake and an unnamed pond off the southeast shore connect directly to Stone Lake by wide channels, and nearby Spring Lake contributes an intermittent flow to Stone Lake during heavy runoffs. There are no wetlands directly on the lake but a tamarack bog drains into the lake on the southeast shore. The shoreline is upland and wooded along most of it. The Village of Stone Lake is situated on the east shore. Roads encircle the lake except on the northeast shore where the "Soo" Line tracks are located. The littoral bottom is all hard materials of sand, gravel and boulder. It is a single basined, pear-shaped lake with a shallower rocky shoal area with 18-foot depths in the north central part. A few muskrats and nesting mallards and wood ducks use the lake. Other migratory waterfowl including coot and Canada geese may also be found here in spring and fall. A public access is located on the east shore at the end of a town road and an access site with limited roadway parking is located off the northwest shore. The lake has no other public frontage than the access sites. Private lakeshore development is extensive with 60 cottages and homes around the lake.

Surface Acres-523.4, Maximum Depth-49 feet, M.P.A.-16 ppm

Date  1978

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Stone Lake, Couderay River Watershed (UC20) Fish and Aquatic LifeStone Lake, Couderay River Watershed (UC20) RecreationStone Lake, Couderay River Watershed (UC20) Fish Consumption

General Condition

Stone Lake (WBIC 1884100) was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus and chlorophyll sample data were clearly below 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and the Fish and Aquatic Life use. For the Fish Consumption use, new fish tissue analysis showed no need for specific fish consumption advisories for this lake. This water was meeting these designated uses and 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

Land Acquisition
The Town of Stone Lake is proposing to purchase 17.42 acres of land which includes 12.42 acres of upland and 5 acres of wetland. The long term intent for use of this property includes use of the wetland for capture of stormwater runoff from the Town of Stone Lake and use of the uplands as a green space within the town and to act as a wetland buffer from commercial development in the area.

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

Stone Lake is located in the Couderay River watershed which is 212.25 miĀ². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (64.90%), wetland (13.50%) and a mix of open (12.90%) and other uses (8.70%). This watershed has 211.96 stream miles, 18,300.76 lake acres and 14,697.69 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Low 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.This water is ranked High Lake for individual Lakes based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.

Natural Community

Stone Lake is considered a Deep Seepage under the state's Natural Community Determinations.

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results and DNR staff valiation processes that confirm or update predicted conditions based on flow and temperature modeling from historic and current landscape features and related variables. Predicated flow and temperatures for waters are associated predicated fish assemblages (communities). Biologists evaluate the model results against current survey data to determine if the modeled results are corect and whether biological indicators show water quaity degradation. This analysis is a core component of the state's resource management framework. Wisconsin's Riverine Natural Communities.

Deep seepage lake describes the depth and hydrologic charactertistics of the lake. These variables affect the lakes response to watershed variables.