Waukesha
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Fish and Aquatic Life
Overview
Little Muskego Lake is a medium-sized natural drainage lake bordering the terminal moraine, drained by Muskego Creek. An impounding structure maintains the lake level. Several small islands break up the open expanse of water. The fishery consists of pan fish, largemouth bass and northern pike. Access is afforded by a city road, community parks, and bathing beaches. Weed and algae control has been necessitated in the past in shallow bays.
Source: 1963, Surface Water Resources of Waukesha County Little Muskego Lake T5N, R20E, Section 9 Surface Acres = 460, S.D.F. = 1.90, Maximum Depth = 65 feet.
Date 1963
Author Aquatic Biologist
General Condition
Little Muskego Lake (WBIC 762700) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus and low dissolved oxygen in 1998. This water was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and dissolved oxygen sample data were clearly below the 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and the Fish and Aquatic Life use. This water was meeting these designated uses and was 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
Best Management Practices, Implement
The City of Muskego will install a number of shoreline restoration best management practices on Holz Island, located on Little Muskego Lake. These include vegetated rip rap, coconut logs, tree drops, emergent shoreline plantings and prairie plantings. Existing invasive plant species on the island will be cleared and eradicated to the extent possible.
Land Acquisition
The Little Muskego Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District will acquire 20.57 acres in Waukesha County.The property contains an intermittent stream and wetlands including an emergent wet meadow with thick stand of cattails. Educational benefits of this property will include a formal trail system and educational study station.
Land Acquisition
The Little Muskego Lake P & R District will acquire 8.8 acres located in the SW 1/4 of Section 33 in the City of New Berlin, as part of the Little Muskego Lake Community's plan to purchase, reclaim, restore and preserve approximately 12 miles of stream corridor tributary to Little Muskego Lake. The property includes a segment of Calhoun Creek, wooded floodplain, wetlands, and uplands.
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 |
|---|
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043224 | Little Muskego Lake - Southwest (Herbicide Monitoring Site 2) | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10030919 | Little Muskego Lake -- Hillview Drive Boat Ramp | 8/8/2015 | 8/19/2023 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043227 | Little Muskego Lake - Southeast (Herbicide Monitoring Site 5) | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043599 | Little Muskego Lake - West (Herbicide Monitoring Site D) | 5/16/2015 | 6/5/2015 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043597 | Little Muskego Lake - Southeast (Herbicide Monitoring Site B) | 5/16/2015 | 6/5/2015 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 683450 | Little Muskego Lake at Muskego WI | 7/2/2002 | 7/27/2024 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043595 | Little Muskego Lake - North (Herbicide Monitoring Site 7) | 5/16/2015 | 6/5/2015 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043226 | Little Muskego Lake - North (Herbicide Monitoring Site 4) | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043598 | Little Muskego Lake - SW Bay (Herbicide Monitoring Site C) | 5/16/2015 | 6/5/2015 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043228 | Little Muskego Lake - East (Herbicide Monitoring Site 6) | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10045059 | Little Muskego Lake - Hillview Bay [Herbicide Monitoring Site A34] | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10045056 | Little Muskego Lake - Hillview Bay [Herbicide Monitoring Site A19] | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10045057 | Little Muskego Lake ? Hillview Bay [Herbicide Monitoring Site A26] | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10045055 | Little Muskego Lake ? Hillview Bay [Herbicide Monitoring Site A17] | | | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10017430 | Little Muskego Lake -- Access at End Of Hardtke Dr | 6/5/2004 | 9/8/2024 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10030920 | Little Muskego Lake -- Oak Court Boat Ramp | 7/24/2016 | 8/19/2023 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10037943 | Little Muskego Lake North Bay | 8/23/2012 | 9/27/2013 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10007183 | Little Muskego Lake | 6/1/1993 | 7/2/2019 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 683457 | Little Muskego Lake - Idle Isle Park Beach | 7/28/1992 | 8/7/2024 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 683126 | Little Muskego Lake - (Inlet) | 2/8/1974 | 9/6/2012 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 683127 | Little Muskego Lake - Deep Hole | 9/19/1973 | 9/14/2023 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043225 | Little Muskego Lake - West (Herbicide Monitoring Site 3) | 5/16/2015 | 6/5/2015 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10017431 | Little Muskego Lake -- Access at Muskego Drive | 6/15/2007 | 8/19/2023 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10043596 | Little Muskego Lake - East (Herbicide Monitoring Site A) | 5/16/2015 | 6/5/2015 | Map | Data |
| 762700 | Little Muskego Lake | 10045058 | Little Muskego Lake - Hillview Bay [Herbicide Monitoring Site A32] | | | Map | Data |
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Watershed Characteristics
Little Muskego Lake is located in the Middle Fox River - Illinois watershed which is 247.72 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (35.50%), suburban (19.20%) and a mix of wetland (16.20%) and other uses (29.10%). This watershed has 316.41 stream miles, 6,810.35 lake acres and 22,750.85 wetland acres.
Nonpoint Source Characteristics
This watershed is ranked High for runoff impacts on streams, Medium 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.This water is ranked High Lake for individual Lakes based on runoff problems and the likelihood of success from project implementation.