Overview

Beaver Dam Lake, a 6,542-acre impoundment, is shallow (max depth 8 ft.) and hypereutrophic. Urban and rural polluted runoff and a dominance of rough fish have severely degraded the quality of this "lake." Water clarity is very poor and tremendous blue-green algae blooms are common. WDNR undertook a rough fish eradication project here in 1987. Water quality conditions improved the following year; turbidity, suspended solids and chlorophyll A levels were all reduced and clarity increased. However, blue-green algae blooms have again occurred and have impaired aquatic plant growth (WDNR, 1994).

In 2001, a diverse group of lake and conservation organizations, the city and adjacent townships, began meeting with the state and county conservation agencies to improve management of the lake. A major goal of the group is to develop a long term management strategy for the lake.

Date  2002

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Impaired Waters

Beaver Dam Lake (835100) was placed on the impaired waters list for total phosphorus in 2010. The 2016 assessments showed continued impairment by phosphorus; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use, and chlorophyll data overwhelmingly exceeded FAL thresholds and exceeded REC thresholds. Based on the most updated information, no change in existing impaired waters listing in 2016 was needed. This water was originally listed in 2010 due to a eutrophication impairment of the fish and aquatic life use caused by excess total phosphorus.

This water was assessed during the 2012 listing cycle, and total phosphorus sample and chlorophyll data exceed 2012 WisCALM listing criteria for the fish and aquatic life and recreation uses. Based on the 2012 assessment, a recreation use impairment (excess algal growth) from total phosphorus was added to this listing.

This water was assessed during the 2014 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceed 2014 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use and chlorophyll data exceeded REC and FAL thresholds.

This water was assessed during the 2016 listing cycle; total phosphorus sample data overwhelmingly exceeded 2016 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use, and chlorophyll data overwhelmingly exceeded FAL thresholds and exceeded REC thresholds.

This water was assessed during the 2018 listing cycle; new total phosphorus and chlorophyll sample data exceeded 2018 WisCALM listing thresholds for the Recreation use and Fish and Aquatic Life use.

New data in 2020 confirm listing information.

Date  2020

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

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

Beaver Dam Lake is located in the Beaver Dam River watershed which is 290.25 mi². Land use in the watershed is primarily agricultural (62.90%), wetland (13.80%) and a mix of grassland (9.50%) and other uses (13.90%). This watershed has 421.30 stream miles, 3,607.03 lake acres and 29,349.96 wetland acres.

Nonpoint Source Characteristics

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