Water Detail - North Fork Wood River, Wood River Watershed (SC11)

North Fork Wood River, Wood River Watershed (SC11)

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North Fork Wood River (2647000)

Size

12.54 Miles

Segment

0 - 12.54

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.

Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm Mainstem

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.

2020

General Condition

Good

County

Burnett

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.

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.

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.

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.

Supported Aquatic Life

Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).

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.

WWFF

Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent forage fishery. Representative aquatic life communities associated with these waters generally require cool or warm temperatures and concentrations of dissolved oxygen that do not drop below 5 mg/L.

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

North Fork Wood River, in the Wood River Watershed, is a 14.48 mile river that falls in Burnett County. This river is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently not considered impaired.

Date 2011

Author Aquatic Biologist

North Fork Wood River, Wood River Watershed (SC11) Fish and Aquatic Life

North Fork Wood River, Wood River Watershed (SC11) Recreation

North Fork Wood River, Wood River Watershed (SC11) Fish Consumption

General Condition

The North Fork Wood River was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new biological (macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores) 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

General Condition

This water was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus and biological sample data clearly met 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Fish and Aquatic Life use.

Date 2015

Author Wdnr Water Quality

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

2020 Comprehensive WQ Assessments

2018 List of Healthy (Category 2) Waters

North Fork Wood River at CTH D Lower Crossing, 2014, Natural Community Validation

North For Wood River 30m US Fossum Rd., 2014, Natural Community Validation

Wood River North Fork Upper CTH D crossing, 2014, Natural Community Validation

N Fork Wood River 20m US Shearman Rd., 2014, Natural Community Validation

Comprehensive 2018 River/Stream Water Quality Assessments

Crex Meadows Wildlife Area Water Quality Assessment, 2016

North Fork Wood River TP Report from TWA 2015

Comprehensive 2016 Rivers Stream Assessments

2014 Total Phosphorus Monitoring Report - North Fk. Wood River @ North Fk. Rd

Burnett County Surface Water Resources 1966

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

Project Name (Click for Details)	Year Started
BURNETT COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT: Mudhen Lake Aquatic Plant Management Plan	2024
BURNETT COUNTY LAKES & RIVERS ASSOCIATION: Lake Launch Monitoring & AIS Education - 2 Seasons	2006

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	10042445	North Fork Wood River 30 m US Fossum Rd	7/17/2014	7/10/2020	Map	Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	10045550	Phragmites Occurrence - Mud Hen Lake			Map	Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	073114	North Fork Wood River at Cth D Lower Crossing	7/24/2014	7/10/2020	Map	Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	10045551	Phragmites Occurrence - Mud Hen Lake			Map	Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	073032	Wood River North Fork - Sec 8 T38n R18w			Map	Data
2649500	Mud Hen Lake	10045551	Phragmites Occurrence - Mud Hen Lake			Map	Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	073115	Wood River North Fork - Upper Cth D Xing	7/11/2014	7/10/2020	Map	Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	073108	Wood River North Fork N Fork Road	5/9/1979	7/10/2020	Map	Data
2649500	Mud Hen Lake	10045550	Phragmites Occurrence - Mud Hen Lake			Map	Data
2647000	North Fork Wood River	10042430	North Fork Wood River 20 m US Shearman Rd	7/10/2014	7/6/2020	Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

North Fork Wood River is located in the Wood River watershed which is 220.24 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (50.60%), wetland (25.10%) and a mix of grassland (11.10%) and other uses (13.40%). This watershed has 197.60 stream miles, 5,461.36 lake acres and 34,321.60 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.

Natural Community

North Fork Wood River is considered a Warm Headwater, COOL-Warm Mainstem 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.

Warm Headwaters are small, usually intermittent streams with warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are absent, transitional fishes are common to uncommon, and warm water fishes are abundant to common. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.