Water Detail - Middle River, Amnicon and Middle Rivers Watershed (LS03)

Middle River, Amnicon and Middle Rivers Watershed (LS03)

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Middle River (2858800)

Size

34.30 Miles

Segment

0 - 34.30

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.

Cool-Warm Mainstem, Cool-Warm Headwater

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

General Condition

Good

County

Douglas

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.

WWSF

Streams capable of supporting a warm waterdependent sport 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

The Middle River is a large stream originating in conifer swamps northeast of Bennett and emptying into Lake Superior between the Poplar and Amnicon rivers. The mouth of the Middle River forms an estuary at Lake Superior. The Lake Superior Binational Program identified the Middle River estuary as important to the integrity of the Lake Superior ecosystem for coastal wetlands and fish and wildlife spawning and nursery grounds. The shoreline in this area consists largely of eroding red clay deposits. The Middle River supports spawning brown and rainbow trout and flows through privately held lands. WDNR operates a permanent sea lamprey barrier immediately upstream of Highway 13.

There are no named tributaries to this river, and all the unnamed tributaries are considered forage fisheries. The Middle River was stocked with trout up until 1953, but stocking was discontinued due to poor survival rates. Surveys conducted in the 1970s indicate the river supports a resident forage fishery and undersized northern pike. Past water quality sampling indicates water quality standards were being met with the exception of high fecal coliform counts at State Highway 13. This could be the result of septic tank failure in the community of Wentworth. No recent data exists. The Middle River Health Care Center discharges treated effluent to this river. The facility was updated in 1981 and is in compliance with its discharge permit.

During survey work conducted as part of the coastal wetlands evaluation, no rare species of macroinvertebrate were found and the overall taxa richness was moderate (5-24 species) (Epstein 1997). The survey noted septic systems as potential pollutant sources.

From: Turville-Heitz, Meg. 1999. Lake Superior Basin Water Quality Management Plan. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI.

Date 1999

Author Aquatic Biologist

Middle River, Amnicon and Middle Rivers Watershed (LS03) Fish and Aquatic Life

Middle River, Amnicon and Middle Rivers Watershed (LS03) Recreation

Middle River, Amnicon and Middle Rivers Watershed (LS03) Fish Consumption

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

Middle River, Middle River- 15 Meters Upstream From Bridge On Townline Road-- Station #2, Wadeable Macroinvertebrate Field Form

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
Fish Propagation Actions	2001

Monitoring Projects

WBIC	Official Waterbody Name	Station ID	Station Name	Earliest Fieldwork Date	Latest Fieldwork Date	View Station	View Data
2858800	Middle River	10040551	Middle River at Sleepy Hollow Loop Rd	6/16/2006	8/26/2021	Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10051630	Lackson Rd			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10053745	Middle River - East Moonshine Rd	7/15/2024	7/15/2024	Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10051628	Upstream from Middle River Road			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10032641	Middle River at 1.4 miles E of Hines			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	163206	Middle River - SeNe Sec 20 T47 R12w	6/4/1979	10/7/1979	Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10051631	USH 2			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10013123	Middle River- 15 Meters Upstream From Bridge On Townline Road-- Station #2	6/8/2017	10/31/2018	Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	163053	Middle River at Sth 13	6/4/1979	10/7/1979	Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10051626	Cty B Downstream			Map	Data
5501267	Unnamed	10051626	Cty B Downstream			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10039327	Middle River at Middle River Rd			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10013122	Middle River- 400 Meters Downstream Hwy 13- Station #1			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10051629	USH 53			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10053746	Middle River - Wild Rivers Trail			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10051627	Old Hwy 11			Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	10050805	Middle River Mouth Sandbar	7/13/2012	7/13/2012	Map	Data
2858800	Middle River	163052	Middle River at Cth B Bl Sanatorium			Map	Data

Watershed Characteristics

Middle River is located in the Amnicon and Middle Rivers watershed which is 288.92 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily forest (47.60%), wetland (36.40%) and a mix of grassland (13.30%) and other uses (2.70%). This watershed has 641.39 stream miles, 7,914.74 lake acres and 42,306.80 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

This watershed is ranked Not Ranked for runoff impacts on streams, Not Available 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

Middle River is considered a Cool-Warm Mainstem, Cool-Warm Headwater 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.

Cool (Warm-Transition) Headwaters are small, sometimes intermittent streams with cool to warm summer temperatures. Coldwater fishes are uncommon to absent, transitional fishes are abundant to common, and warm water fishes are common to uncommon. Headwater species are abundant to common, mainstem species are common to absent, and river species are absent.