A Lake Management Plan for Green Lake Green Lake, Wisconsin Wisconsin s Deepest Natural Inland Lake

A Lake Management Plan for Green Lake Green Lake, Wisconsin Wisconsin’s Deepest Natural Inland Lake Developed in Partnership January 2013 (Revised 2...
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A Lake Management Plan for Green Lake Green Lake, Wisconsin Wisconsin’s Deepest Natural Inland Lake

Developed in Partnership

January 2013 (Revised 2015)

Partners Green Lake Sanitary District Green Lake Association Green Lake County Land Conservation Department Fond du lac County Land and Water Conservation Department Green Lake Conservancy Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources United States Geological Survey City of Green Lake City of Ripon Citizens of Wisconsin

Acknowledgements The principal consultant and author of this lake management plan is Mark F. Sesing, retired WDNR Water Resource Management Specialist. For their contributions, thanks to the following and their respective boards and agencies: Charlie Marks, Jen Kaiser, Derek Kavanaugh, Ted Johnson, Tom Eddy, Lynn Mathias, Paul Tollard, Glen McCarty, Jim Hebbe, David Bartz, and Phil Hoopman. We offer special thanks to the Public Advisory Group members and the citizens of Wisconsin for their guidance in developing this document.

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Table of Contents Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... vii 2014 LMP Addendum Report – News, Accomplishments, 2015 Goals and Objectives ............................... 1 Big Green Lake Impairment ...................................................................................................................... 1 LMP 2014 Accomplishments .................................................................................................................... 3 2015 Goals and Objectives for the Green Lake Watershed ..................................................................... 5 Introduction and Background ....................................................................................................................... 9 Today’s Threats......................................................................................................................................... 9 Stakeholders and Public Participation .................................................................................................... 14 Project Guidance .................................................................................................................................... 15 Plan Development Process ..................................................................................................................... 16 Natural Resource Appraisals, Objectives and Strategy............................................................................... 18 Water Quality of the Lake....................................................................................................................... 18 WisCALM (Wisconsin Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology) ..................................... 24 Objectives for Lake Water Quality ..................................................................................................... 28 Strategy for Lake Water Quality ......................................................................................................... 29 Water Quality of Tributary Streams ....................................................................................................... 30 Objectives for Stream Water Quality ................................................................................................. 32 Strategy for Stream Water Quality..................................................................................................... 32 Lake Habitat and Plants .......................................................................................................................... 33 Sensitive Area Designations (aka Critical Habitat Designations)........................................................ 34 Aquatic Plant Survey records.................................................................................................................. 34 Objectives for Aquatic Plants and Habitat ......................................................................................... 42 Strategy for Aquatic Plants and Habitat ............................................................................................. 42 Strategy – Woody Structure and Critical habitat Areas ..................................................................... 42 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) ................................................................................................................ 42 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Objectives .......................................................................................... 45 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Strategy .............................................................................................. 45 Watershed .............................................................................................................................................. 46 Watershed Statistics ......................................................................................................................... 46 SWAT – Soil and Water Assessment Tool........................................................................................... 51 Phosphorus Reduction Goals ............................................................................................................. 51 Watershed Objectives ........................................................................................................................ 53 iii

Watershed Strategy ........................................................................................................................... 53 EPA’s- 9 Criteria for Watershed Projects............................................................................................ 54 Fishery..................................................................................................................................................... 55 Warmwater Fishery ............................................................................................................................ 55 Coldwater Fishery............................................................................................................................... 57 Objectives for the Fishery .................................................................................................................. 58 Strategy for the Fishery ...................................................................................................................... 58 Natural Aesthetics and Land Conservancy ............................................................................................. 58 Objectives for Lands Conservancy and Aesthetic Preservation ......................................................... 61 Strategy for Land Conservancy and Aesthetic Preservation .............................................................. 61 Shorelines and Shoreland ....................................................................................................................... 61 Objectives for Shorelines and Shore Land ......................................................................................... 62 Strategy for Shorelines and Shore Land ............................................................................................. 62 Information and Education ..................................................................................................................... 62 Objectives for I & E ............................................................................................................................. 62 Strategy for I & E ................................................................................................................................ 62 Management Capacity, Objectives and Strategies ................................................................................. 63 Objectives for Management Capacity ................................................................................................ 64 Strategy for Management Capacity ................................................................................................... 64 Climate Change ....................................................................................................................................... 64 Objectives for Climate Change ........................................................................................................... 66 Strategy for Climate Change .............................................................................................................. 66 Use Conflicts ........................................................................................................................................... 67 Objectives for Use Conflict ................................................................................................................. 67 Strategy for Use Conflict .................................................................................................................... 68 Glossary of Lake Terms ............................................................................................................................... 69 Green Lake Environmental Reports/References ........................................................................................ 75 Appendix A ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Big Green Lake 2012 Citizen Survey Results .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Recreation ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Shorelines .............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Aquatic Plants........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Water Quality ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Land Management ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Climate Change ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Demographic Information ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. iv

Appendix B ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. AIS Preliminary Grant Application Scope of Work..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Introduction .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Description of Project Area ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Regional/State Importance ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Problem to Be Addressed...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Green Lake County AIS and Threats ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Green Lake County AISC Goals and Activities ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Educational Outreach............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Rapid Response ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Mapping & Inventory ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Clean Boats, Clean Waters .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Citizen Lake Monitoring ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Policy ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. County AIS Coordination and State-Wide AIS Participation ................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Green Lake County AISC Deliverables ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Two Year Budget ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Green Lake Association’s Project Capability .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Project Oversight ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Financial Management .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Project Partners and Stakeholders ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Partners and Stakeholders .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix C ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Accessible Fishing Piers and Platforms ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Introduction .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix D ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. PAG Notes Summation and Preliminary Issue Identification .................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix E ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Preliminary Issues Listing........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Watershed ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Aquatic Habitat...................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Fishery ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. I&E ......................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Management Capacity, Planning, Integration....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Water Quality ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Nuisance habitat ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. v

Natural Aesthetics ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. AIS.......................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Use conflicts .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Land preservation.................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Climate shifts ......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Shorelines and Shore land ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Citizen Participation .............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix F ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Public Advisory Group Membership - Green Lake Planning ...................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix G ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Wisconsin Aquatic Invasive Species .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix H ..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. SWAT – Soil and Water Assessment Tool....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix I .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Aquatic Plant Sensitive Area Designations for Green Lake ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix J .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Aquatic Plant Data Tables and Graphs ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix K ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Basin Plan recommendations 1989 WDNR ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix L...................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Lake Water Quality Model Study for Big Green Lake, Green Lake County, WI ........ Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix M .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. What Green Lake’s Sediments Tell Us About Its History ........................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix N..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Climate Change and Wisconsin´s Great Lakes (WDNR) ............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Appendix O..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. WDNR Approval Letter for Lake Management Plan .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

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Table of Figures FIGURE 1 THE MAP ABOVE SHOWS THE EASTERN END OF GREEN LAKE, INCLUDING THE LARGEST TRIBUTARY TO THE LAKE, SILVER CREEK INLET AND THE LAKE’S OUTLET, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PUCHYAN RIVER. THE PUCHYAN ENTERS THE UPPER FOX RIVER, WHICH THEN FLOWS THROUGH LAKE BUTTE DES MORT, WINNEBAGO, AND ULTIMATELY TO THE WATERS OF GREEN BAY. THERE ARE 2 SHALLOW WATER AREAS THAT CURRENTLY SUPPORT DIVERSE HABITAT AND WATER QUALITY FILTRATION, SILVER CREEK INLET AND GREEN LAKE MILLPOND. ....................................................................................................................................11 FIGURE 2 GREEN LAKE SHORES ARE DIVERSE, NOT ONLY IN LEVELS OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO IN GEOLOGICAL FEATURES LIKE SANDSTONE BLUFFS, INDICATED HERE ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF THE LAKE IN THE AREA OF SANDSTONE BAY. .........................................................................................................................12 FIGURE 3 THE DEEPEST POINT IN THE LAKE IS SHOWN ABOVE, LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF SUGARLOAF PENINSULA. AT 236 FEET, IT IS OFFICIALLY THE STATE OF WISCONSIN’S DEEPEST NATURAL LAKE. ONLY ONE LAKE IN WISCONSIN IS DEEPER, WAZOO LAKE, AN ABANDONED MAN-MADE QUARRY LAKE. ALSO SHOWN IS NORWEGIAN BAY, A POPULAR RECREATIONAL AREA FOR BOATING, WADING, ANGLING, AND WILDLIFE WATCHING. THIS BAY ALSO SUPPORTS REMNANT BULRUSH STANDS IMPORTANT FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE SUPPORT. ...........................................................................................................................................................13 FIGURE 4 THE WEST END OF THE LAKE INCLUDES TWO BACKWATER AREAS WITH POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT CRITICAL HABITAT AND WATER QUALITY FUNCTIONS, COUNTY PARK MARSH AND BEYER’S COVE. THESE SHALLOW WATER AREAS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH CARP, HABITAT LOSS, AND WATER QUALITY FUNCTIONS, COUNTY PARK MARSH AND BEYER’S COVE. THESE SHALLOW WATER AREAS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH CARP, HABITAT LOSS, AND WATER QUALITY FILTERING. THIS IS THE AREA WHERE HUGE GLACIAL DEPOSITS ESSENTIALLY ACTED LIKE A DAM, BACKING UP WATER IN THE ORIGINAL DEEP GLACIAL VALLEY. ...................14 FIGURE 5 PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ...................................................................................................................17 FIGURE 6 RECOMMENDED LAKE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROTOCOL* .........................................................19 FIGURE 7 THE ABOVE GRAPH SHOWS THE ANNUAL AVERAGE SUMMER WATER CLARITY OF GREEN LAKE AS MEASURED BY SECCHI DISC, OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS. THE WATER CLARITY OF THE LAKE, DESPITE THE APPARENT ANNUAL VARIABILITY, APPEARS TO BE PREDICTABLE, IN THE 10 TO 16 FOOT RANGE FOR AVERAGE SUMMER CLARITY (SWIMS DATA, WDNR). THE AVERAGE VALUE DOES NOT INDICATE THE MAXIMUM OR MINIMUM READINGS WHICH COULD EXCEED 16 FEET OR BE LESS THAN 10 FEET ON A PARTICULAR DAY. ...............................................................................................................................................21 FIGURE 8 TSI (TROPHIC STATE INDEX) IS A NUMERICAL VALUE REFLECTING THE NOURISHMENT LEVEL OF A LAKE. THE INDEX VALUES ARE ON A 0 -100 SCALE AND REFLECT THE LEVELS OF ALGAE, PHOSPHOROUS, AND CLARITY IN A LAKE. AT GREEN LAKE THE TSI IS GENERALLY IN THE 40 – 50 RANGE, AND CONSIDERED MESOTROPHIC, OR MID-LEVEL OF NOURISHMENT. ..........................................................................................23 FIGURE 9 TSI (TROPHIC STATE INDEX) IS A NUMERICAL VALUE REFLECTING THE NOURISHMENT LEVEL OF A LAKE. THE INDEX VALUES ARE ON A 0 -100 SCALE AND REFLECT THE LEVELS OF ALGAE, PHOSPHOROUS, AND CLARITY IN A LAKE. AT GREEN LAKE THE TSI IS GENERALLY IN THE 40 – 50 RANGE, AND CONSIDERED MESOTROPHIC, OR MID-LEVEL OF NOURISHMENT. ..........................................................................................24 FIGURE 10 TROPHIC STATUS INDEX (TSI) THRESHOLDS FOR GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF LAKE NATURAL COMMUNITIES ...................................................................................................................................................25 FIGURE 11 GREEN LAKE TSI VALUES ...........................................................................................................................26 FIGURE 12 GREEN LAKE TOTAL PHOSPHORUS (SABAI, A., SWIMS) ............................................................................27 FIGURE 13 TABLE 4A, FISH & AQUATIC LIFE IMPAIRMENT THRESHOLDS FOR LAKE NATURAL COMMUNITIES.........28 FIGURE 14 TOTAL P CONCENTRATIONS OF STREAMS ENTERING GREEN LAKE. MOST OF THE SAMPLING WAS CONDUCTED UNDER BASE FLOW CONDITIONS. THE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS FROM THE 9/27 EVENT REFLECT RUNOFF FROM RAINS. .........................................................................................................................31 FIGURE 15 THIS DATA ABOVE REFLECTS THE HIGHLY DEGRADED CONDITION OF THE CO PARK MARSH AS A RESULT OF SEVERAL FACTORS, INCLUDING 303D TRIBUTARY INPUTS, CARP, AND LACK OF AQUATIC PLANTS. TOTAL PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATIONS IN THE MARSH WATER ARE OFTEN 10X HIGHER THAN THE LEVELS TYPICAL FOR GREEN LAKE. ...............................................................................................................................................31 FIGURE 16 GREEN LAKE AQUATIC PLANTS - STATISTICS ON 2007 SURVEY (SOURCE: WDNR INTEGRATED SCIENCE SERVICES) ...........................................................................................................................................................39 FIGURE 17 GREEN LAKE AQUATIC PLANTS – FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE .............................................................40

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FIGURE 18 THE GREEN LAKE WATERSHED ENCOMPASSES 110 SQUARE MILES OF LAND AREA INCLUDING FARMLAND, STREETS, WETLANDS, ROOFTOPS, LAWNS, AND PARKING LOTS GREEN LAKE IS PART OF THE BIG GREEN LAKE WATERSHED, WHICH IS PRIMARILY LOCATED IN GREEN LAKE COUNTY. EAST AND WEST TWIN LAKES AND SPRING LAKE ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATERSHED. .........................................................................46 FIGURE 19 THE WATERSHED URBAN AREA IS APPROXIMATELY 3 % OF THE AREA DRAINING TO GREEN LAKE. THE MAJORITY AREA IS MADE UP OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS (HEBBE, J.) ................................................................48 FIGURE 20 THE REGRESSION CURVE ABOVE PREDICTS PHOSPHOROUS RESPONSE (IN SPRING TP CONCENTRATION) BASED ON ANTICIPATED (TARGET) REDUCTIONS IN TOTAL P LOADING TO THE LAKE (PANUSKA, J. 2001). THE “X” APPROXIMATES A 33% REDUCTION IN TOTAL P LOAD TO THE LAKE. THIS TARGET REDUCTION, ADOPTED BY THE GLSD IN 2001, SETS AN OBJECTIVE FOR ACHIEVING A SPRING IN-LAKE TOTAL P CONCENTRATION OF 22UG/L. FURTHER EVALUATION MONITORING IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS PREVIOUS EFFORT HAS BEEN. THIS PLAN INCLUDES OBJECTIVES FOR IMPROVING EVALUATIONS OF PAST AND FUTURE EFFORTS. ............................................................................................................................................................49 FIGURE 21 THE MAP OUTLINES THE EIGHT SUBWATERSHED AREAS TRIBUTARY TO THE LAKE (BIG GREEN LAKE PL566 STUDY, HEBBE, J. ET AL, AND GREEN LAKE LWCD)......................................................................................50 FIGURE 22 MAP OF CONSERVANCY PROPERTIES. EACH MARKED DOT REPRESENTS A CONSERVANCY PROPERTY THAT IS PROTECTED IN PERPETUITY. .................................................................................................................59 FIGURE 23 THE DURATION OF ICE COVER ON GREEN LAKE IS DECREASING AS SEEN IN THE TREND LINE ABOVE. THE GRAPH COVERS A PERIOD FROM 1940 THROUGH 2007 OR 66 YEARS OF RECORD. SIMILAR TRENDS ARE OCCURRING ON LAKE MENDOTA AND OTHER WISCONSIN LAKES (EDDY, T). ...................................................66 FIGURE 24 MAP OF 1990 AND 1992 AQUATIC PLANT SURVEY TRANSECTS .........ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

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2014 LMP Addendum Report – News, Accomplishments, 2015 Goals and Objectives A (Big) Green Lake lake management plan (LMP) was originally approved by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) in February 2013 (Appendix O). Since then, LMP partners have agreed to prepare and incorporate an annual report addendum to the original LMP. The intent is to provide the public a condensed, informative, and accessible overview of LMP implementation efforts. That said, the following content includes 2014 news on the lake impairment status, accomplishments for implementing LMP projects, and a listing of 2015 LMP revisions, goals and objectives.

Big Green Lake Impairment The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI DNR) applies specific water quality criteria to all Wisconsin lakes, Big Green Lake included, to determine if the water body in question should be classified as “impaired”. These criteria are used to measure the relative health of our water resources in the state, and subsequently, used to guide management actions. The water quality criteria for Big Green Lake are provided below: Phosphorus 5mg/L

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