U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Water-Resources-Related Information

for the St. Croix Reservation and

Vicinity, Wisconsin

Water-Resources Investigations Report 00–4133

Prepared in cooperation with the

St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
Water-Resources-Related Information 

for the St. Croix Reservation and 

Vicinity, Wisconsin

By David A. Saad and Dale M. Robertson

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Water-Resources Investigations Report 00–4133

Prepared in cooperation with the

St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin

Middleton, Wisconsin

2000
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Charles G. Groat, Director

For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from:

District Chief U.S. Geological Survey 

U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services

8505 Research Way Box 25286

Middleton, WI 53562-3586 Denver, CO 80225-0286

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement

by the U.S. Government.
CONTENTS III

CONTENTS

Abstract .................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose and scope....................................................................................................................................................... 1

Description of St. Croix Reservation and vicinity ...................................................................................................... 2

Surface-water studies and data.............................................................................................................................................. 9

Previous studies........................................................................................................................................................... 9

Available data.............................................................................................................................................................. 12

Lake data........................................................................................................................................................... 12

Stream data........................................................................................................................................................ 14

Aquatic-biology data......................................................................................................................................... 15

Description of selected lakes and streams and their watersheds................................................................................. 18

Big Round Lake ................................................................................................................................................ 18

Sand Lake.......................................................................................................................................................... 18

Bashaw Lake..................................................................................................................................................... 19

Clam Lake......................................................................................................................................................... 20

Big Sand Lake................................................................................................................................................... 21

Gaslyn Lake ...................................................................................................................................................... 22

Yellow River ..................................................................................................................................................... 22

Loon Creek........................................................................................................................................................ 23

St. Croix River .................................................................................................................................................. 24

Ground-water studies and data.............................................................................................................................................. 25

Previous studies........................................................................................................................................................... 25

Available data.............................................................................................................................................................. 25

Additional data...................................................................................................................................................................... 27

Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................... 29

References............................................................................................................................................................................. 30

FIGURES

1–11. Maps showing:

1. Location of the St. Croix Reservation and study area, Wisconsin ................................................................... 3

2. Main watersheds and subwatersheds in the study area..................................................................................... 5

3. Distribution of land use/land cover in the study area ....................................................................................... 6

4. Bedrock geology in the study area.................................................................................................................... 7

5. Surficial-deposit types in the study area........................................................................................................... 8

6. Soil permeability and organic-matter content in the study area ....................................................................... 10

7. Potential point sources of contamination in the study area .............................................................................. 11

8. Water-quality sampling locations of streams and lakes in the study area ........................................................ 13

9. Trophic status of lakes in the study area based on total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and Secchi depth

averages for June, July, and August, and fish productivity based on alkalinity ........................................... 16

10. Location of drinking-water wells in the study area for which water-quality data are available....................... 26

11. Total nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in drinking-water wells from the St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity ................................................................................................................................................... 28
IV CONVERSION FACTORS AND ABBREVIATED WATER-QUALITY UNITS

TABLES

1. Environmental characteristics of selected river and lake watersheds in the vicinity of the 

St. Croix Reservation, Wisconsin ...................................................................................................................... 4

2. Water use, in million gallons per day, in the Upper St. Croix River Watershed, Wisconsin................................. 9

3. Characteristics and description of surface-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity .............................. 36

4. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics for samples from lakes from

the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity ................................................................................................................ 41

5. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics and flow data for samples 

from streams from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity ................................................................................. 44

6. Summary of selected water-quality data collected during June through August for samples from 

lakes from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity .............................................................................................. 48

7. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the lakes of interest for the

St. Croix Reservation and vicinity ...................................................................................................................... 50

8. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the streams of interest for the

St. Croix Reservation and vicinity ...................................................................................................................... 53

9. Characteristics and description of ground-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity .............................. 56

10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, 

St. Croix Reservation and vicinity ...................................................................................................................... 60

CONVERSION FACTORS AND ABBREVIATED WATER-QUALITY UNITS

Multiply By To Obtain

acre 4,047 square meter (m2)

feet (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

gallon (gal) 3.785 liter (L)

inch (in) 25.4 millimeter (mm)

cubic inch (in3) 16.39 cubic centimeter (cm3)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

pound (lb) 453,600 milligram (mg)

square mile (mi2) 2.59 square kilometer (km2)

Temperature, in degrees Celsius (°C) can be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) by use of the following equation:

°F = [1.8(°C)] + 32.

Abbreviated water- and sediment-quality units: Chemical concentrations and water temperature are given in metric units. Chemical 

concentration is given in milligrams per liter (mg/L), micrograms per liter (μg/L), milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), or micrograms per 

kilogram (μg/kg). Milligrams per liter is a unit expressing the concentration of chemical constituents in solution as weight (milligrams) of 

solute per unit volume (liter) of water. One thousand micrograms per liter is equivalent to one milligram per liter. For concentrations less 

than 7,000 mg/L, the numerical value is the same as for concentrations in parts per million. Milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) is a unit 

expressing the concentration of chemical constituents in solution as weight (milligrams) of solute per unit mass (kilogram) of water. One 

thousand micrograms per kilogram is equivalent to one milligram per kilogram.

Specific conductance is expressed in microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm). A microsiemen is the electrical conductivity of water measured 

between opposite faces of a centimeter cube of aqueous solution at a specified temperature. 

Radioactivity is expressed in picocuries per liter (pCi/L). A picocurie is the amount of radioactivity that yields 2.22 radioactive disintegrations per minute.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS V

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Technical Reviewers

Aaron Colson, Director of Environmental Services, St. Croix Chippewa Tribe of Wisconsin, Hertel, Wis.

Morgan A. Schmidt, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Middleton, Wis.

Technical Support

Sarah K. Tegt, Hydrologic Technician, U.S. Geological Survey, Middleton, Wis.

Editorial and Graphics

Michael Eberle, Technical Publications Editor, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbus, Ohio

Michelle M. Greenwood, Cartographer, U.S. Geological Survey, Middleton, Wis.

Leah N. Hout, Editor, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbus, Ohio

Susan Z. Jones, Editorial Assistant, U.S. Geological Survey, Middleton, Wis.

Aaron T. Konkol, Cartographic Aid, U.S. Geological Survey, Middleton, Wis.

Approving Official

Chester Zenone, Reports Improvement Advisor, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.
Abstract 1

Abstract

The St. Croix Chippewa Tribe is interested in 

documenting water-quality conditions in lakes and 

streams adjacent to their Reservation lands in 

northwestern Wisconsin and developing management plans to protect these water resources. This 

report provides the Tribe with a retrospective summary and analysis of available water-resourcesrelated information for their Reservation and vicinity. The study area is divided into four main watersheds: Big Round Lake, Clam River at Clam Lake 

Outlet, Yellow River at Danbury, and Loon Creek 

at Danbury. The Clam River Watershed includes 

the subwatersheds of Bashaw and Sand Lakes. The 

Yellow River Watershed includes the subwatersheds of Big Sand and Gaslyn Lakes. 

In all, 41 surface-water studies or reports that 

include information relevant to the study area were 

identified. Most of the surface-water studies were 

regional or statewide summaries. Fifteen of these 

studies include lake information and 36 include 

stream information. Twenty-eight of the studies 

include water-quality data and 16 include information describing aquatic biology. 

Water- and sediment-quality data were 

obtained for 80 lakes and 23 streams in the study 

area. Lake information includes data for 101 waterquality characteristics from nearly 4,300 water and 

sediment analyses of samples collected between 

1972 and 1998. Stream information summarized in 

this report includes data for 135 water-quality characteristics and nearly 4,500 water and sediment 

analyses of samples collected at 23 sites between 

1964 and 1999. 

A total of 41 ground-water studies or reports 

that include information relevant to the study area 

were identified. Most of the ground-water studies 

were regional or statewide summaries. Of the 41 

studies, 33 include water-quality information, 9 

include information regarding water use, and 23 

provide descriptions of geology and aquifer characteristics relevant to the study area. 

Water-quality information for 773 wells was 

compiled. Most of the sampled wells were used for 

drinking water, and most of the drinking-water 

wells represent domestic supplies. Water-quality 

data summarized in this report represent 270 characteristics and more than 10,300 analyses of samples collected from drinking-water wells between 

1911 and 1999; however, most of the water-quality 

data were collected after about 1990. 

INTRODUCTION

The St. Croix Chippewa Tribe is concerned about 

the current and future health of lakes and streams adjacent to their Reservation lands in northwestern Wisconsin. The Tribe is interested in documenting historical 

and current water quality and developing management 

plans to protect these water resources. To respond to 

these needs, the Tribe and the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) entered into a cooperative agreement to provide the Tribe with a retrospective summary and analysis of existing water-resources-related information for 

their Reservation and vicinity. 

Purpose and Scope

The primary purpose of this report is to provide a 

summary of available water-resources-related information in the vicinity of the St. Croix Reservation lands. A 

secondary purpose is to analyze available data, where 

possible, to help identify factors affecting the water 

resources. 

The studies and data included in this report were 

found in literature and data bases that were readily 

available through standard literature searches, or from 

various local, state, and Federal agencies, and academic 

organizations. Every effort was made to locate all availWater-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix 

Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

By David A. Saad and Dale M. Robertson
2 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

able (and pertinent) water-resources-related information for the study area; however, it is likely that some 

sources were missed. 

Water-resources-related information described in 

this report has been divided into three categories: 

(1) surface-water studies and data, (2) ground-water 

studies and data, and (3) additional data, which includes 

meteorological and digital thematic data (GIS coverages). Some multidisciplinary studies are included in 

more than one category. 

Description of St. Croix Reservation and 

Vicinity

The St. Croix Reservation lands, which are spread 

out over 10 locations in Barron, Burnett, Polk, and 

Washburn Counties in northwestern Wisconsin (fig. 1), 

comprise a total of about 3,000 acres. The Tribe is interested in summarizing water-resources-related information for the lakes and streams near 7 of the 10 locations. 

The lakes of special interest to the Tribe are Bashaw, 

Big Round, Big Sand, Clam, Gaslyn, and Sand Lakes. 

The streams of special interest are Loon Creek and the 

St. Croix and Yellow Rivers upstream from St. Croix 

Reservation lands near Danbury, Wis.

Water quality in streams and lakes is strongly 

affected by human activities and natural processes in the 

surrounding watersheds; therefore, in this report we 

examine the watersheds of each of the lakes and that of 

Loon Creek and the Yellow River. The Upper St. Croix 

River Watershed upstream from Danbury, Wis. is more 

than twice as large as the area of the other watersheds of 

interest combined (fig. 1, table 1). In this report, therefore, we focus our efforts on the area near the Reservation rather than on the St. Croix River Watershed 

upstream from Danbury. The study area is therefore 

defined as the 707-mi2

 area that includes the watersheds 

of the six lakes and the watersheds of Loon Creek and 

the Yellow River upstream from Danbury (fig. 1). 

Water-quality data collected from the St. Croix River at 

Danbury (USGS station 05333500, fig. 1) are also summarized in this report, but the environmental characteristics for its watershed are not illustrated and the listed 

references for the watershed are generally limited to 

regional studies.

The study area is divided into four main watersheds: (1) Big Round Lake (29.5 mi2

), (2) Clam River 

at Clam Lake Outlet (298 mi2), (3) Yellow River at Danbury (323 mi2

), and (4) Loon Creek at Danbury (56 mi2) 

(fig. 2, table 1). The Clam River Watershed includes the 

subwatersheds of Bashaw (29.2 mi2) and Sand Lakes 

(16.3 mi2

). The Yellow River Watershed includes the 

subwatersheds of Big Sand (20.7 mi2

) and Gaslyn 

Lakes (4.8 mi2). Watershed boundaries delineated for 

this study were based on digital coverages of USGS 

Hydrologic Unit maps (Seaber and others, 1986), U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) digital 

coverages of RF3 files (1999a), and drainage boundaries delineated on 1:24,000-scale USGS topographic 

quadrangle maps maintained by the USGS office in 

Middleton, Wis. The environmental characteristics of 

each watershed are summarized in table 1 and shown in 

figures 3, 4, and 5. 

The dominant land use/land cover of all the watersheds is forest (fig. 3, table 1). The percentage of forest 

ranges from 36.4 percent in the Bashaw Lake subwatershed to 67.7 percent in the Loon Creek watershed. Other 

common land-use/land-cover types in the study area are 

grassland, wetland, agriculture, and open water. Wetlands are fairly evenly distributed over the study area. 

The percentages of grassland and agricultural land use 

are generally highest in the southern and central parts of 

the study area, such as near Bashaw Lake.

The geology underlying the study area consists of 

Precambrian quartzite, basalt flows (upper volcanic 

sequence), and sandstone (Oconto Group); Cambrian 

sandstone; and unconsolidated deposits (referred to as 

“surficial deposits”) of Quaternary age (fig. 4 and 5, 

table 1). The Precambrian and Cambrian sandstones are 

more permeable than other bedrock types, and wells 

constructed in these areas are more likely to yield water 

(Young and Hindall, 1973). The Precambrian rocks are 

of unknown thickness and predominate in the northwest 

part of the study area. The Cambrian sandstone, which 

can be several hundred feet thick, overlies the Precambrian rocks in the southeastern part of the study area, 

generally thickening to the south and east. Most of the 

watersheds are underlain by a combination of Precambrian and Cambrian rocks; exceptions are the Big Sand 

and Gaslyn Subwatersheds which are predominantly 

Precambrian rocks and the Sand Lake Subwatershed 

which is underlain by Cambrian rocks.

The surficial deposits in the study area are generally 50 to 300 ft thick and mostly pitted outwash (Young 

and Hindall, 1973) consisting of stratified sand or sand 

and gravel (fig. 5, table 1). The sand and gravel aquifer 

is defined by where the surficial deposits are saturated 

and sufficiently thick and permeable (the situation in 

most of the study area). Several large areas of peat are 
INTRODUCTION 3

05333500

63

63

53

53

35 70

48

77

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

BURNETT CO.

POLK CO.

MINN.

WIS.

WASHBURN CO.

BARRON CO.

Milltown

Cumberland

Haugen

Rice Lake

Shell Lake

Webster Spooner

Siren Hertel

Luck

Frederic

Danbury

Milltown

Cumberland

Haugen

Rice Lake

Shell Lake

Webster Spooner

Siren Hertel

Luck

Frederic

Danbury

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

WISCONSIN

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Municipality

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

U.S. Highway

State Highway

USGS gaging station 05333500

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

92°22'30" 92°

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

St. Croix 

Tribal Center ribal Center

St. Croix

River

Figure 1. Location of the St. Croix Reservation and study area.
4

Water-Resources-RelatedInformationfortheSt.CroixReservationandVicinity,Wisconsin

Table 1. Environmental characteristics of selected river and lake watersheds in the vicinity of the St. Croix Reservation, Wisconsin (waters[mi2, square miles]

Environmental

characteristic

Big Round 

Lake

Watershed

(29.5 mi2)

Clam River Watershed

Loon Creek at 

Danbury

Watershed

(56.0 mi2)

Yellow River 

Clam River at 

Clam Lake

outlet

(298 mi2)

Bashaw Lake 

Subwatershed

(29.2 mi2)

Sand Lake

Subwatershed

(16.3 mi2)

Yellow River at 

Danbury

(323 mi2)

Big San

Subwat

(20.7 

Land use (percentage)

Urban 0 0.1 0 0 0 0.5 0 Agriculture 7.8 8.0 18.9 7.3 0.1 5.6 0Grassland 23.9 23.5 34.1 17.3 5.2 16.8 11Forest 46.4 51.6 36.4 55.8 67.7 51.5 53Open water 9.1 3.2 1.9 7.6 9.2 9.5 15Wetland 12.4 13.2 7.8 11.4 10.6 14.1 17Barren .1 .2 .5 .3 .2 .4 Shrubland .2 .3 .4 0 7.0 1.4 

Bedrock geology1 (percentage)

1In parts of the study area underlain by more than one type of bedrock, “bedrock geology” refers to the upper-most unit.

Cambrian sandstone 46.3 65.4 51.8 100 0 42.1 7Precambrian sandstone 0 0 0 0 74.6 6.2 0 Precambrian quartzite 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 0 Precambrian basalt flows 53.8 34.6 48.2 0 25.4 51.0 92

Surficial deposit type (percentage)

Sand and gravel 0 30.0 44.9 0 99.6 49.0 78Sand 100 63.4 55.1 100 0.4 41.2 0 Peat 0 6.6 0 0 0 9.8 21

Soil characteristics (area-weighted averages)

Permeability 

(inches/hour)

5.0 5.0 5.0 3.1 9.7 7.2 8

Organic-matter content 

(percentage)

4.2 5.3 4.4 4.7 13.0 8.8 4
INTRODUCTION 5

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Big Round Lake

Clam River at Clam Lake outlet

Yellow River at Danbury

Loon Creek at Danbury

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

Main watersheds

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

WISCONSIN

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

Yellow River

Figure 2. Main watersheds and subwatersheds in the study area.
6 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Urban

Agriculture

Grassland

Forest

Open water

Wetland

Barren

Shrubland

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

Modified from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1998

Land use/land cover categories

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

WISCONSIN

Figure 3. Distribution of land use/land cover in the study area.
INTRODUCTION 7

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

Cambrian undivided—mostly sandstone (Cu)

Oronto Group—sandstone, shale, and conglomerate (Pko)

Quartzite (Pqz)

Upper volcanic sequence—basalt flows (Pku)

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

Modified from Mudrey and others, 1982

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

Reservation 

EXPLANATION

Pko

Pku

Cu

Pqz

Phanerozoic Rocks

 Cambrian System

Precambrian Rocks

 Middle Proterozoic System

 Lower Proterozoic System

WISCONSIN

Figure 4. Bedrock geology in the study area.
8 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round Lake

River

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Sand and gravel

Sand

Peat

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

Surficial deposit types

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

Modified from Richmond and Fullerton, 1983

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

WISCONSIN

Figure 5. Surficial-deposit types in the study area.
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 9

also present in the study area and are generally found in 

areas of extensive wetlands. Sand and sand and gravel 

deposits are predominant in all of the watersheds; however, peat is prevalent around Clam and Big Sand 

Lakes.

Throughout the study area, the top 5 ft of the surficial deposits (referred to as “soils”) can be described as 

having moderately rapid permeability (water moves 

downward through the saturated soil at 2 to 6 in/hr) to 

rapid permeability (6 to 20 in/hr) and generally high 

(4 to 8 percent) to very high (more than 8 percent) 

organic-matter content (fig. 6, table 1). Permeability 

and organic-matter content are generally highest in the 

northern part of the study area and generally coincide 

with large areas of peat and wetland areas. The highest 

permeability and organic matter content are in the 

Yellow River and Loon Creek Watersheds. 

Water use in the Upper St. Croix River Watershed 

(which includes the study area) is mainly for domestic, 

irrigation, and agricultural purposes (fig. 1, table 2). 

The primary source of water for domestic supplies is 

ground water from the sand and gravel aquifer. Several 

municipalities in or near the study area also get their 

water from the sand and gravel aquifer; however, a few 

municipalities in the southeastern part of the study area 

get their water from the Cambrian sandstone aquifer 

where the aquifer is relatively thick. The public-supply 

wells of the Tribe pump water from the sand and gravel 

aquifer. 

Potential point sources of surface- and groundwater contamination for the study area summarized in 

this report include landfills and Toxic Release Inventory 

(TRI) sites as described by the USEPA (1999b). Some 

common types of TRI sites in the area are gas stations, 

auto repair shops, farmer cooperatives, schools, and 

commercial, industrial, and highway department sites. 

The Yellow River watershed has the most potential 

point-source sites (17 landfills and 29 TRI sites) in the 

study area (fig. 7). The landfill sites are evenly spread 

out over the Yellow River Watershed, but most of the 

TRI sites are to the east in the vicinity of Spooner, Wis. 

The Clam River Watershed has 8 landfills and 9 TRI 

sites. Most of the TRI sites are near Siren, Wis. The 

Loon Creek Watershed has one landfill and no TRI 

sites. The Big Round Lake Watershed has no landfills or 

TRI sites. 

SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA

The surface-water studies and data described here 

focus on water and sediment chemistry and aquatic 

biology for the lakes and streams in the study area.

Previous Studies

A total of 41 surface-water studies or reports that 

include information relevant to the study area were 

identified (table 3). (Tables 3–10 are located at the back 

of the report.) Most of the surface-water studies (26 of 

41) were regional or statewide summaries. Fifteen of 

these studies include lake information and 36 include 

stream information. Twenty-eight of the studies include 

water-quality data, and 16 include information describing aquatic biology. Most of the more detailed information for the study area is included in local or countyscale studies.

Of the studies described in table 3, several stand out 

as pertinent sources of information. In particular, 

county reports by the Wisconsin Conservation Department (WCD), now the the Wisconsin Department of 

Natural Resources (WDNR) provide useful and detailed 

information for the lakes and streams in the study area. 

These reports (Blackman and others, 1966; Sather and 

Busch, 1976; Sather and Threinen, 1961 and 1964) provide thorough descriptions of lake morphometry, 

streamflow, water quality, aquatic biology, and general 

watershed characteristics. They also describe surfacewater problems for each county and provide insight into 

historical water-quality concerns in the study area.

Table 2. Water use, in million gallons per day, in the Upper St. Croix River Watershed, Wisconsin

[Water-use information from Ellefson and others, 1993 and 1997]

Year

 Use category

Total Percent from 

Domestic Agriculture Irrigation Industrial Commercial Public ground water

1990 1.81 3.33 1.14 0.14 0.23 0.32 6.97 73

1995 1.97 0.54 1.55 .25 .37 .27 4.95 99
10 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin 92° 92°22'30" 45°52'30" 45°37'30" 92

92°22'30" 45°52'30" 45°37'30"

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw Lake

Yellow

Yellow River Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Clam Lake

Sand Lake

River

North Fork

Clam River

River

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Loon Creek

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw Lake

Yellow

Yellow Rive

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Clam Lake

Sand Lake

River

North Fork

Clam Rive

River

Big Round Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow Rive

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam Rive

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

EXPLANATION

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 filesModified from Schwarz and Alexander, 1995

Reservation 

0–2.322.32–3.883.88–8.248.24–10.3210.32–11.73

Soil permeability, inches per hour

Watershed boundarySubwatershed boundary

WISCONSIN

A. Soil permeability B. Organic-

Big Round Lake

Figure 6. (A) Soil permeability and (B) Organic-matter content in the study area. (Gradations represent quantile distributions and are basaverages.)
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 11

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

Shell Lake

Spooner

Webster

Siren

Hertel

Danbury

Shell Lake

Spooner

Webster

Siren

Hertel

Danbury

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

Modified from USEPA, 1999b and USGS, 1987

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Municipality

Potential point-sources of contamination

WISCONSIN

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Toxic Release Inventory sites

Landfill (active)

Landfill (inactive)

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

Figure 7. Potential point sources of contamination in the study area.
12 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Available Data

Data were compiled from several data bases in an 

effort to provide a description of the water-quality and 

sediment data of lakes and streams in the study area. 

Only data that were available in digital form or that 

could be readily compiled are summarized here; however, references to more obscure sources are provided. 

Water-quality and sediment-quality data were obtained 

for 80 lakes and 23 streams in the study area (fig. 8) and 

are summarized in tables 4 and 5, respectively. Data for 

all of the lakes and 16 of the streams came primarily 

from the USEPA Storage and Retrieval (STORET) data 

base. Data for the remaining seven streams came from 

the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Uranium 

Resources Evaluation (NURE) program data base. Lake 

data from STORET represent information collected by 

the USGS, WDNR, and the USEPA. All of the stream 

data from STORET were collected by the USGS. 

Lake Data

Lake information summarized in table 4 represents 

that for 101 constituents from nearly 4,300 water and 

sediment analyses from samples collected between 

1972 and 1998. The most commonly sampled constituents for lakes were those describing field conditions 

(temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance), nutrient concentrations (phosphorus and 

nitrogen), hardness (alkalinity), and metals that accumulate in the deep part of lakes. For some constituents, 

these data provide a fairly complete spatial coverage of 

lake-water and sediment quality in the study area. However, for most measurements, such as transparency 

(Secchi depth), for which a total of 207 measurements 

were made, only a few lakes were represented. The temporal representation for almost all lakes was very limited. Only 19 of the 80 lakes were sampled more than 

once and only Shell Lake near Shell Lake, Wis. had 

more than 10 years of data. Because long-term data 

were not available for the lakes of interest, trend analyses for lake data were not done. 

Surface-water sources are not used for drinking 

water in the study area, but drinking-water standards 

can nevertheless be used as reference points for understanding the quality of water in lakes and streams. Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL’s) and Secondary 

Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCL’s) have been 

developed by the USEPA for drinking water for some 

constituents (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

1999c). MCL’s are human-health-based standards and 

SMCL’s are for constituents that can affect the esthetic 

qualities of drinking water. None of the water-quality 

constituents from lake-water samples exceeded an 

MCL, and only four constituents exceeded an SMCL: 

aluminum, iron, manganese, and pH. Aluminum, iron, 

and manganese exceeded the SMCL’s (50, 300, and 

50 μg/L, respectively) in many lakes in the study area, 

including the lakes of interest to the Tribe. Measurements of pH exceeded the SMCL in only one sample 

from each of four lakes, including Big Round and Big 

Sand Lakes.

One of the most common ways of describing the 

water quality of lakes is based on their productivity, also 

known as trophic status (Lillie and others, 1993). Based 

on the trophic-status approach, lakes are classified into 

various categories based on numerical ranges of factors 

driving or describing their productivity. Such factors 

include nutrient content (total phosphorus concentration), algal content (surface chlorophyll a concentration), transparency (Secchi depth), and dissolved 

oxygen concentration near the bottom of deeper lakes 

measured during the summer. 

Trophic-status levels have been defined with the 

following boundaries for total phosphorus, Secchi 

depth, and chlorophyll a (Lillie and others 1993):

Trophic status Total phosphorus Chlorophyll a Secchi depth

(mg/L) (μg/L) (feet)

Hypereutrophic

------------------------------0.061-------------------28.0------------------3.3------

Eutrophic

------------------------------0.017--------------------7.4------------------6.6-------

Mesotrophic

------------------------------0.005--------------------2.0----------------13.1-------

Oligotrophic

Oligotrophic lakes are typically clear, phosphorus 

concentrations and algal populations are low, and the 

deep water is likely to contain oxygen throughout the 

year. Mesotrophic lakes typically have a moderate supply of nutrients, produce moderate algal blooms, and 

have occasional oxygen depletions at depth. Eutrophic 

lakes are nutrient rich with relatively severe water-quality problems, such as frequent seasonal algal blooms, 

poor clarity, and oxygen depletion in lower parts of the 

lakes. When eutrophic conditions are severe, the lake is 

considered hypereutrophic. 

In the lakes of the study area, average total phosphorus concentrations near the lake surface during the 
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 13

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Loon Creek

05335010

05333500

05335031

05334270

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Lake water-quality sample location

Stream water-quality sample location

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

USGS station identifier 05333500

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

Clam Lake

Big Round

Lake

WISCONSIN

Figure 8. Water-quality sampling locations of streams and lakes in the study area.
14 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

summer months (June through August) ranged from 

0.01 to 0.15 mg/L, with an average concentration of 

0.029 mg/L (fig. 9a, table 6). This concentration would 

classify the “average” lake in the study area just into the 

eutrophic category. Average chlorophyll a concentrations during the summer months ranged from 1.7 to 

32 μg/L, with an average concentration of 9.8 μg/L 

(fig. 9b). This concentration would also classify the 

average lake in the study area just into the eutrophic category. Secchi depths measured during summer (based 

on mean values for only nine lakes) ranged from 2.0 to 

14.1 ft, with an average of 7.3 ft. This would classify the 

average lake into the mesotrophic category. More Secchi depth data are available in early WCD publications 

(Blackman and others 1966; Sather and Threinen, 1961 

and 1964; Sather and Busch, 1976), but only those for 

the lakes of special interest (Bashaw and Gaslyn Lakes) 

were added to figure 9c. The individual trophic-status 

factors generally indicated similar trophic conditions 

for lakes where more than one factor was measured. 

The data also indicated that the study area is dominated 

by mesotrophic to eutrophic lakes. The distribution of 

various types of lakes, however, is disjointed with only 

a few clusters of specific types of lakes. A few generalities can be made: (1) the highest density of eutrophic 

lakes were in the Loon Creek and Clam River Watersheds, and (2) the highest density of mesotrophic lakes 

and the few oligotrophic lakes were in the headwaters of 

the Yellow River Watershed. 

The hardness of the water of a lake (described by 

the alkalinity—the amount of available carbonates, 

bicarbonates, and hydroxides in the water) has been 

used as an indicator of the productivity of fish in lakes 

(Moyle, 1949). Lakes with alkalinity less than 20 mg/L 

are considered to have very soft water and have a low 

productivity of fish. Lakes with alkalinity from 20 to 

40 mg/L are considered soft-water lakes and generally 

have low to medium fish productivity. Lakes with alkalinity from 40 to 80 mg/L are medium- to hard-water 

lakes and generally have medium to high fish productivity. Lakes with alkalinity greater than 80 mg/L are 

hard-water lakes and generally have high fish productivity. 

On the basis of compiled alkalinity data and the 

detailed alkalinity maps produced by the WCD (Blackman and others, 1966; Sather and Threinen, 1961 and 

1964; Sather and Busch, 1976), several generalities can 

be made about the hardness and fish productivity of 

lakes in the study area (figure 9d). Most of the drainage 

lakes (lakes with outflows) that intersect the main rivers 

in the basin have hard or moderately hard water. Most 

of the small seepage lakes (lakes without in-flowing and 

out-flowing streams) have soft to very soft water 

(Blackman and others, 1966; Sather and Threinen, 1961 

and 1964; Sather and Busch, 1976). This distribution is 

not very well demonstrated by the subset of lakes shown 

in figure 9d. (For the lakes of primary interest without 

alkalinity data, data from the earlier WCD publications 

were added to figure 9d.) Most of the small, soft-water, 

seepage lakes had little additional data and are not 

shown in figure 9d. In general, the lakes with high total 

phosphorus and chlorophyll a concentrations and shallow Secchi depths had high alkalinities suggesting high 

fish productivity; however, several exceptions were 

found where lakes indicated to have low productivity on 

the basis of alkalinity actually had high nutrient and 

chlorophyll a concentrations. 

Water from the lakes of primary interest to the 

Tribe (Bashaw, Big Round, Big Sand, Clam, Gaslyn, 

and Sand Lakes) were sampled several times for a wide 

range of constituents by the USGS between August 

1984 and August 1986 (Krabbenhoft and Krohelski, 

1992) and by either the WDNR or USEPA in subsequent years. Sediment samples from three of the lakes 

(Bashaw, Clam, and Gaslyn Lakes) also were collected 

by the USGS and analyzed for nutrient concentrations. 

These data are described later in this report for each lake 

individually.

Stream Data

Stream information summarized in table 5 represents that for 135 constituents and nearly 4,500 water 

and sediment analyses from samples collected at 23 

sites between 1964 and 1999 (fig. 8). These data, however, do not represent the quality of water and sediment 

in streams throughout the entire study area. Most of the 

sampling locations were in the Clam River Watershed, 

specifically the Sand Lake Subwatershed. No stream 

data were available for the watersheds of Bashaw, Big 

Round, Big Sand, and Gaslyn Lakes, and very little 

stream data were available for most of the Clam and 

Yellow River Watersheds. Most of the stream data 

(78 percent of all analyses) summarized in table 5 were 

collected by the USGS from the St. Croix River at Danbury (USGS station 05333500) from 1964 through 

1999. Most of the data collected are from after 1994 

when this station started to be sampled as part of the 

USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) 
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 15

program (Stark and others, 1999). Another 14 percent 

of all analyses were collected by the USGS from the 

Yellow River at Danbury (USGS station 05335031) 

between 1975 and 1998. Data from 12 of the 23 streams 

summarized in table 5 represent information collected 

from 12 small inlets to Kirby Lake in the Sand Lake 

Subwatershed in Barron County. These data were collected as part of a study of Kirby Lake done by the 

USGS during 1995 and 1996 (Rose and Robertson, 

1998) and include only total phosphorus information. 

Data from the remaining nine streams represent a small 

number of analyses on samples collected from the Yellow River Watershed (seven sites), Loon Creek Watershed (one site), and Clam River Watershed (one site). 

One sample from the St. Croix River near Danbury, collected in July 1995 as part of NAWQA, included measurements of 20 trace-metal constituents in water and 

38 trace-metal constituents and 106 organic compounds 

in the bed-sediment material. These trace-metal and 

organic compound data were not included in table 5; 

however, a list of measured constituents is included in 

Stark and others (1999). Most of the trace-metal and 

organic-compound data indicated that concentrations 

were less than the detection limits of the analyses.

Other than the wide suite of constituents measured 

at the St. Croix River at Danbury, most of the waterquality data were collected to describe the alkalinity or 

hardness of the water and the nutrient concentrations in 

the water. The only constituent that has been sampled 

over all areas is alkalinity. On the basis of maps displaying the distribution of alkalinity produced by the WCD 

(Blackman and others, 1966; Sather and Threinen, 1961 

and 1964; Sather and Busch, 1976), one generality can 

be made: alkalinity of most streams in the Clam River 

Watershed were in the hard-water range (greater than 

90 mg/L), whereas alkalinities in most of the other 

study-area streams were in the medium- to hard-water 

range (40 to 90 mg/L). Total phosphorus concentrations 

in the few streams that were sampled were generally 

less than 0.1 mg/L, except in the tributaries to Kirby 

Lake, where concentrations were as high as 0.17 mg/L.

Three of the stream water-quality constituents 

listed in table 5 exceeded a drinking-water MCL: beryllium, lead, and fecal coliform. The MCL for beryllium 

(4.0 μg/L) was exceeded in one sample from the Yellow 

River near Spooner, Wis. (USGS station 05334270). 

The MCL for lead (15 μg/L) was exceeded several 

times in samples collected from the St. Croix River near 

Danbury. The MCL for fecal coliform is zero, yet fecal 

coliform bacteria were detected in many water samples 

from the St. Croix and Yellow Rivers near Danbury. The 

SMCL’s for color and iron were exceeded several times 

in samples from the St. Croix and Yellow Rivers. Additionally, the SMCL for manganese was exceeded in one 

water sample from the St. Croix River near Danbury.

Sediment-quality samples were collected from 

seven stream locations in the study area as part of the 

NURE program. Six of the locations were in the headwaters of the Yellow River Watershed and one was near 

the headwaters of the Clam River Watershed. The constituents analyzed in stream-sediment samples were primarily trace metals. 

Currently, no sediment-quality criteria exist for the 

protection of benthic organisms (Scudder and others, 

1997). However, several sets of sediment contaminant 

screening values are available to assess potential 

adverse effects on benthic species (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1997). One set of screening values 

for bulk sediment samples was developed by Ingersoll 

and others (1996). This set of guidelines includes two 

Sediment Effect Concentrations (SEC) called the Effect 

Range Low (ERL) and the Effect Range Median 

(ERM). The ERL is the concentration below which 

effects are rarely observed or predicted among sensitive 

life stages and (or) species of biota (Long and Morgan, 

1990; Ingersoll and others, 1996). The ERM is the concentration above which effects are frequently or always 

observed among most species of biota. None of the constituents measured in sediment samples collected in the 

study area exceeded an ERM; however, three constituents exceeded an ERL. Chromium exceeded the ERL 

(41 mg/kg, dry weight) at all seven sample locations. 

The ERL’s for copper and nickel (39 and 24 mg/kg, dry 

weight, respectively) were exceeded at two locations in 

the Yellow River Watershed.

Aquatic-Biology Data

The WDNR and other agencies have collected 

aquatic-biology data for much of Wisconsin, including 

the study area. However, because aquatic-biology information is in numerous data bases and in various file 

formats the data are not readily available and therefore 

not summarized in this report. Information describing 

aquatic-biology, associated metadata, and contacts, for 

data collected in Wisconsin, is currently being compiled 

by the WDNR (2000a). Some aquatic-biology information from miscellaneous printed sources is included in 

the descriptions of the sites of primary interest and 

also included in the references described in table 3. 
1

6Water-Resources-RelatedInformationfortheSt.CroixReservationandVicinity,Wisconsin

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

92

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

0 

0 

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw Lake

Yellow

Yellow River Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Sand Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Loon Creek

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw Lake

Yellow

Yellow Rive

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Clam Lake

Sand Lake

River

North Fork Clam Rive

River

Big Round Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow Rive

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam Rive

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

EXPLANATION

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

Reservation 

Trophic status based on total P ranges in milligrams per liter

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

WISCONSIN

Watershed boundarySubwatershed boundary

Oligotrophic (<.005)Mesotrophic (.005–.017)Eutrophic (.017–.061)Hypereutrophic (>.061)Lake of interest to the tribe

A. Total phosphorus B. Chlorophyll a

Clam Lake

Big Round Lake

Figure 9. Trophic status of lakes in the study area based on (A) total phosphorus, (B) chlorophyll a, (C) Secchi depth averages for June, 

productivity based on (D) alkalinity. (Phosphorus and chlorophyll averages are based on samples collected within 3 feet of lake surface.)
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 17

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

0 

0 

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw Lake

Yellow

Yellow River Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Sand Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Loon Creek

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw Lake

Yellow

Yellow 

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Sand Lake

River

North Fork Clam 

River

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow 

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam 

River

Loon Creek

EXPLANATION

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

Oligotrophic (>13.1)Mesotrophic (6.6–13.1)Eutrophic (3.3–6.6)Hypereutrophic (<3.3)Lake of interest to the tribe

Trophic status based on Secchi depth ranges in feet

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

WISCONSIN

Watershed boundarySubwatershed boundaryReservation

C. Secchi depth D. Alkalinity

Big Round Lake

Clam Lake

Big Round Lake

Clam Lake

Figure 9. Trophic status of lakes in the study area based on (A) total phosphorus, (B) chlorophyll a, (C) Secchi depth averages for June, 

productivity based on (D) alkalinity.—Continued
18 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Additionally, some relevant fish-consumption advisory 

information is described below.

Consumption advisories concerning mercury levels in fish have been published by the WDNR (1995). 

The advisory information includes several of the lakes 

of interest to the Tribe. Additional mercury information 

for walleyes in lakes harvested by the Tribe has been 

summarized by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) and was found on the 

World Wide Web at URL http://www.glifwc.org/.

Description of Selected Lakes and Streams 

and Their Watersheds

In this section, we provide a brief description of the 

physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the 

primary lakes and streams; environmental characteristics; and potential point sources of contamination in the 

watersheds. Most of the water-quality data available for 

each site are summarized in tables 7 and 8. Lakes and 

streams are described in order from south to north.

Big Round Lake

Big Round Lake is a drainage lake in Polk County 

in Township (T.) 35 N., Range (R.) 16 W., section (sec.) 

13. The lake has a surface area of 1,015 acres and a 

shoreline length of 5.35 mi. Maximum depth of the lake 

is 17 ft and mean depth is 10 ft (Wisconsin Department 

of Natural Resources, 1995). Big Round Lake has a 

total watershed area of 29.5 mi2, with a direct drainage 

of 4.1 mi2. The watershed, drained primarily by the 

Straight River, is largely forested (46.4 percent); about 

8 percent of the watershed is agricultural. All surficial 

deposits in the watershed are classified as sand and have 

an average soil permeability of 5.0 in/hr. No potential 

point sources of contamination were identified in the 

watershed. The Straight River is the inlet and outlet of 

the lake. Information for Big Round Lake, summarized 

in table 7, represents data from several water samples 

and physical measurements made by the USGS and the 

USEPA from 1984 to 1986. Surface-water-quality data 

were available for only one other lake (Dahl Lake) and 

no streams in the Big Round Lake Watershed. 

Big Round Lake

Big Round Lake is a hypereutrophic, hard-water 

lake. Average total phosphorus concentration was 

0.13 mg/L, and average hardness was 87 mg/L 

(table 7). The lake has one of the highest phosphorus 

concentrations in the study area. Average specific conductance of the lake was about 219 μS/cm, and average 

pH was 9.0. The lake only weakly stratifies in the summer, but dissolved oxygen can be depleted in the deepest areas of the lake. One or more fish species were 

tested for mercury levels, and no consumption advisory 

was posted (Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources, 1995).

In 1961, fish present in the lake included northern 

pike, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, 

perch, pumpkinseed, and bullhead (Sather and 

Threinen, 1961). Nesting waterfowl included mallard, 

blue-wing teal, green-wing teal, and ring-neck duck. 

Extensive use was made of the lake by migratory waterfowl. Ranging in importance from most to least were 

coot, diving ducks (redhead and canvasback), puddle 

ducks, Canada goose, and whistling swan.

Sand Lake

Sand Lake is a drainage lake in Barron County 

(T. 36 N., R. 14 W., sec. 21) in the Clam River Watershed. The lake has a surface area of 322 acres, a length 
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 19

of 2.35 mi, a maximum width of 0.31 mi, and shoreline 

length of 5.96 miles. The maximum depth of the lake is 

57 ft and mean depth is 28 ft (Wisconsin Department 

of Natural Resources, 1995). The lake has a 5-ft control 

structure maintaining the lake level. Sand Lake has a 

total subwatershed area of 16.3 mi2

, with a direct drainage of 3.1 mi2

. Only two small tributaries enter the lake 

from Kidney and Little Sand Lakes. Sand Creek is the 

outlet of the lake. The subwatershed is heavily forested 

(55.8 percent); about 7 percent is agricultural. All surficial deposits in the subwatershed are classified as sand 

and have an average soil permeability of 3.1 in/hr. No 

potential point sources of contamination were identified 

in its subwatershed. Information for Sand Lake, summarized in table 7, mainly represents two samples collected by the USGS in 1984 and 1985. The single 

alkalinity value was collected by the WCD in the 1960’s 

(Sather and Threinen, 1964). Surface-water-quality data 

were also available for Cranberry, Kidney, and Kirby 

Lakes in the Sand Lake Subwatershed, as well as the 12 

inlets to Kirby Lake.

Sand Lake

Sand Lake is a clear, moderately hard-water lake, 

with an alkalinity of 75 mg/L (table 7). Only two total 

phosphorus concentrations were available for the lake: 

one during August 1984, which was less than the detection limit of the analysis of 0.01 mg/L, and the other 

during September 1985, which was 0.04 mg/L. These 

concentrations would classify the lake as oligotrophic 

during 1984 and eutrophic during 1985. Average specific conductance of the lake was 188 μS/cm, and average pH was 8.7. The lake strongly stratifies during 

summer, with a late summer thermocline depth of about 

28 feet and bottom temperature near 6o

C. Dissolved 

oxygen concentrations were lowest just below the thermocline, where they reached about 2 mg/L. (Concentrations were about 4 mg/L near the bottom of the lake.) 

In 1964, Sand Lake's fish population consisted of 

northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, perch, bluegill, black crappie, smallmouth bass, and bullhead 

(Sather and Threinen, 1964). The lakeshore vegetation 

was mainly upland hardwoods, with a few scattered 

white pine. A 27-acre marshy wetland adjoining the 

lake provided habitat for muskrat, nesting puddle ducks, 

merganser, coot, and loon. A few Canada geese also 

used the lake during migratory season. 

Bashaw Lake

Bashaw Lake is a drainage lake in Burnett County 

(T. 38 N., R. 14 W. sec. 17, 18, and 19) in the Clam 

River Watershed. The lake has a surface area of 

171 acres, a length of 1.31 mi, a maximum width of 

0.43 mi, and a shoreline length of 3.25 mi. The maximum depth of the lake is 16 ft and mean depth is 7 ft 

(Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1995). 

Bashaw Lake has a total subwatershed area of 29.2 mi2

, 

with a direct drainage of 2.4 mi2

. Most of the subwatershed drains into the lake through Bashaw Brook. Water 

leaves the lake through Bashaw Outlet. The Bashaw 

Lake Subwatershed consists primarily of a combination 

of forest (36.4 percent), grassland (34.1 percent), agriculture (18.9 percent), and wetland (7.8 percent). The 

Bashaw Lake Subwatershed contains the highest percentage of agricultural land use compared to the other 

watersheds or subwatersheds of interest. The surficial 

deposits in the subwatershed are classified as a combination of sand and sand and gravel deposits, and have an 

average soil permeability of 5.0 in/hr. One potential 

point source of contamination (an active landfill) was 

identified in the subwatershed. The information summarized in table 7 mainly represents three water samples collected by the USGS between 1984 and 1986. 

The Secchi depth and alkalinity data were collected by 

the WCD in the 1960’s (Blackman and others, 1966). 

Additional surface-water-quality data were available 

for only one other lake (Poquettes Lake) and no streams 

in the Bashaw Lake Subwatershed.
20 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Bashaw Lake

Bashaw Lake is a turbid, hypereutrophic, hardwater lake. Average total phosphorus concentration was 

0.09 mg/L, and alkalinity was 84 mg/L (table 7). The 

lake had one of the highest total phosphorus concentrations in the study area. The only Secchi depth measured 

in the lake was 3 ft, measured in July 1964 (Blackman 

and others, 1966). Average specific conductance of the 

lake was 205 μS/cm, and average pH was 7.9. The lake 

stratified only weakly during the summer it was examined and had relatively high dissolved-oxygen concentrations from the surface to the bottom of the lake.

In 1964, the fish population in the lake was composed mostly of northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie (Blackman and others, 1966). 

Pumpkinseed, bullhead, and white sucker were also 

present. Lakeshore vegetation was mainly upland hardwoods with a few scattered pines and small areas of 

tamarack and tag alder swamp. A margin of dense 

aquatic vegetation surrounded the entire lakeshore, the 

main species being wild rice, cattail, pondweed species, 

coontail, and water milfoil. All but 20 percent of the littoral region of the lake had a sand bottom. The extensive beds of wild rice and cattails along with 

approximately 57 acres of adjoining wetlands offered 

excellent habitat for nesting mallard, blue-winged teal, 

ring-necked ducks, wood duck, and occasionally 

hooded merganser. The lake also received moderate use 

by migratory ducks, puddle ducks, and coot. Muskrat 

presence was significant.

Clam Lake

Clam Lake, also referred to as Upper Clam Lake,

is a drainage lake in Burnett County (T. 38 N., R. 16 W., 

sec. 2, 3, 10, and 11) in the Clam River Watershed near 

where the river leaves the study area. The lake has a surface area of 1,207 acres, a length of 2.62 mi, a maximum width of 1.81 mi, and a shoreline length of 

12.3 mi. The maximum depth of the lake is 11 ft and 

mean depth is 5 ft (Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources, 1995). A water-control structure on Lower 

Clam Lake, immediately downstream of Clam Lake, 

maintains the lake level. Clam Lake has a total watershed area of 298 mi2

, with a direct drainage of 7.3 mi2. 

Most of the watershed drains into the lake through the 

Clam River. The watershed of the lake is primarily forested (51.6 percent); about 8 percent is agricultural. The 

dominant surficial deposits in the watershed are classified as a combination of sand (63 percent) and sand and 

gravel (30 percent) deposits; the remaining 7 percent of 

the area is peat deposits. Average soil permeability is 

5.0 in/hr. Several potential point sources of contamination were identified in the watershed: industry, the high 

school, and the highway department, and several active 

and inactive landfills throughout the watershed. The 

information summarized in table 7 represents three 

water samples and four physical measurements collected by the USGS between 1984 and 1986. Surfacewater-quality data were compiled for approximately 25 

other lakes in the Clam River Watershed (including 

Bashaw and Sand Lake Subwatersheds) and 13 streams. 

Of the 13 streams, 12 represent the Kirby Lake inlets; 

the other stream sample was collected near the headwaters of the Clam River as part of the NURE program.

Clam Lake
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 21

Clam Lake is a turbid, eutrophic to hypereutrophic, 

hard-water lake, with a hardness of 99 mg/L (table 7). 

Total phosphorus concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 

0.1 mg/L, averaging 0.05 mg/L. Average summer Secchi depth was 4.3 ft. The average specific conductance 

of the lake was about 214 μS/cm and average pH was 

8.2. The lake weakly stratified during the summer it was 

examined and had relatively high dissolved oxygen 

concentrations from the surface to the bottom of the 

lake.

In 1965, the most common fish species were northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, perch, 

black crappie, and pumpkinseed (Blackman and others, 

1966). Bullhead, white sucker, bowfin, rock sturgeon, 

and forage minnows were also present. The 370 acres of 

adjoining wetlands and extensive beds of wild rice provided habitat for muskrat, nesting puddle ducks, and 

ring-necked duck. Diving ducks and coot, sometimes as 

many as 10,000 of each, used the lake during the fall 

migrations. There was also heavy use by migrant puddle 

ducks and goose. 

Big Sand Lake

Big Sand Lake is seepage lake in Burnett County 

(T. 38 and 39 N., R. 15 W., several sections) in the 

Yellow River Watershed. The lake has a surface area of 

1,400 acres, a length of 2.75 mi, a maximum width of 

1.35 mi, and a shoreline length of 7.6 mi. Maximum 

depth of the lake is 55 ft, although the mean depth is 

only 9 ft (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 

1995). Big Sand Lake has a total subwatershed area of 

20.7 mi2, with a direct drainage area of 4.7 mi2

. Water 

leaves the lake through Sand Creek, which then flows 

into the Yellow River. The Big Sand Lake Subwatershed consists primarily of forested areas (53.7 percent); 

agriculture and urban areas are only a small percent of 

the land use in the subwatershed. However, the urban 

area around the Tribal Center (fig. 1) and the nearby 

community of Hertel is growing (Aaron Colson, St. 

Croix Tribe, written commun., May 2000). The surficial 

deposits in the subwatershed are classified largely as 

sand and gravel (78 percent); however, much of the area 

immediately around the lake has peat deposits. Average 

soil permeability in the subwatershed is 8.3 in/hr. Potential point sources of contamination identified in the subwatershed include the St. Croix Tribal center and one 

inactive landfill (fig. 7). The information for Big Sand 

Lake, summarized in table 7, represents several water 

samples collected by the USGS and WDNR between 

1979 and 1985. The single Secchi depth value was collected by the WCD in the 1960’s (Blackman and others, 

1966). Surface-water-quality data were available for 

two other lakes (Bass and Pokegama Lakes) but for no 

streams in the subwatershed. 

Big Sand Lake

Big Sand Lake is a clear, mesotrophic to eutrophic, 

medium- to hard-water lake. Average total phosphorus 

concentration was 0.02 mg/L, and average alkalinity 

was 42 mg/L (table 7). The only Secchi depth measured 

in the lake was 14 ft, measured in May 1965 (Blackman 

and others, 1966). Average specific conductance of the 

lake was about 111 μS/cm, and average pH was 8.5. 

Measurements indicated that the lake was only weakly 

stratified during summer and that dissolved oxygen 

concentrations were relatively high down to a depth of 

10 ft; however, the lake has areas much deeper than that, 

and such areas may stratify and have low concentrations 

of dissolved oxygen. One or more fish species were 

tested for mercury levels and no consumption advisory 

was posted (Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources, 1995).

In 1965, the main fish species present were northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, and pumpkinseed (Blackman and others, 1966). 

Muskellunge, smallmouth bass, rock bass, bullhead, 

perch, white sucker, and bowfin were also present. 

Migratory waterfowl use was very high with large concentrations of puddle ducks, diving ducks, coot and 

goose at times. Big Sand Lake was also used by nesting 

mallard, blue-winged teal, ring-necked ducks, wood 

duck, and loon. 
22 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Gaslyn Lake

Gaslyn Lake is a drainage lake in Burnett County 

(T. 39 and 40 N., R. 14 W., sec. 4, 5, 32, and 33) in the 

Yellow River Watershed. The lake has a surface area of 

164 acres, a length of 0.78 mi, a maximum width of 

0.58 mi, and a shoreline length of 2.24 mi. Maximum 

depth of the lake is 12 ft and mean depth is 6 ft (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1995). Gaslyn 

Lake has a total subwatershed area of 4.8 mi2

, with a 

direct drainage area of 3.5 mi2. Most of the subwatershed drains directly into the lake; however, there is a 

small inlet stream in the northwest corner of the lake. 

Water leaves the lake through a small outlet on the south 

end of the lake that then flows into the Yellow River. 

The Gaslyn Lake Subwatershed consists largely of forested areas (47.4 percent); almost no agriculture or 

urban areas are in the subwatershed. All surficial deposits in the subwatershed are classified as sand and gravel, 

with an average soil permeability of 6.6 in/hr. No potential point sources of contamination were identified in 

the subwatershed. The information for Gaslyn Lake, 

summarized in table 7, represents several samples collected by the USGS and WDNR between 1979 and 

1986. The single value for Secchi depth was collected 

by the WDNR in the 1960’s (Blackman and others, 

1966). No other surface-water-quality data were compiled for this subwatershed.

Gaslyn Lake

Gaslyn Lake is a turbid, eutrophic, medium- to 

hard-water lake. Average total phosphorus concentration was 0.03 mg/L, and alkalinity was 75 mg/L 

(table 7). The only Secchi depth measured in the 

lake was 2 ft, measured in August 1965 (Blackman and 

others, 1966). Average specific conductance of the lake 

was about 157 μS/cm, and average pH was 7.1. The 

lake stratifies weakly in the summer, but dissolved oxygen can be depleted in the deepest areas of the lake. 

Occasionally, dissolved oxygen concentrations become 

very low in the winter and result in fishkills.

In 1964, the primary fish species present were 

northern pike, largemouth bass, perch, bluegill, 

pumkinseed, bullhead, white sucker, and forage minnows (Blackman and others, 1966). Sixty percent of the 

surrounding lakeshore was tamarack, tag alder, and 

fresh meadow wetlands, which were used by muskrat, 

nesting puddle ducks, ring-necked ducks, and loon. The 

littoral zone had extensive wild rice beds which were 

used by large numbers of migratory diving ducks, puddle ducks, and coot. 

Yellow River

The Yellow River (fig. 1) originates in Washburn 

County, then flows across Burnett County before emptying into the St. Croix River at Danbury (T. 39 N., R. 

14 W., sec. 25 to T. 40 N., R. 16 W., sec. 31). The river 

has a total length of 38 mi, an average width of 60 ft, 

and average depth of 1.5 ft (Blackman and others, 

1966). The river has an average gradient of 5 ft/mi. The 

total drainage area of the Yellow River at Danbury is 

323 mi2 and includes the subwatersheds of Big Sand 

and Gaslyn Lakes. The watershed of the river consists 

of forested areas (51.5 percent), grassland (16.8 percent), and wetlands (14.1 percent). Agricultural areas 

represent 5.6 percent of the watershed. The largest 

urban area in the basin is Spooner, Wis. The surficial 

deposits in the watershed are classified as a mix of sand 

and gravel (49 percent), sand (41 percent), and peat (10 

percent) deposits. Most of the peat deposits are around 

Big Sand Lake. The average soil permeability of the 

basin is 7.2 in/hr. Several potential point sources of contamination were identified in the watershed: various 

types near Spooner and Webster, a commercial source 

just west of Webster, and many active and inactive landfills throughout the watershed. 

Most of the water-quality data for the Yellow River, 

summarized in table 8, were collected by the USGS at 

station 05335031 (fig. 8) near Danbury, Wis. from 

October 1975 through September 1998. One additional 

location on the Yellow River (USGS station 05334270 

near Spooner, Wis., fig. 8) was sampled by the USGS 

once during 1986. Surface-water samples, not summa-
SURFACE-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 23

rized in table 8, were also collected at six locations in 

the headwaters of the Yellow River in September 1977 

as part of the NURE program. These samples were analyzed mainly for trace metals. Additionally, water-quality data were compiled for approximately 40 lakes in the 

watershed. 

Yellow River

The Yellow River is generally a clear, medium- to 

hard-water river. Alkalinity and specific conductance of 

the river appear to decrease as the water moves downstream. Hardness of the river measured during the single sampling at Spooner was 97 mg/L, and specific 

conductance was 200 μS/cm; at Danbury, average alkalinity was 76 mg/L and average specific conductance 

was 157 μS/cm (table 8). Average pH of the Yellow 

River was about 8. Average total phosphorus concentration at Danbury was 0.06 mg/L, of which about half was 

in dissolved forms. Average total nitrogen concentration was 0.76 mg/L, of which 70 percent was in organic 

forms. Suspended sediment concentrations in the river 

were very low, averaging 4.2 mg/L.

In 1965, the fish population was made up of a variety of species with northern pike, largemouth bass, 

bluegill, pumpkinseed, white sucker, redhorse, and 

common shiner being the most common (Blackman and 

others, 1966). Muskellunge, walleye, perch, smallmouth bass, black crappie, rock bass, bullhead, hog 

sucker, carp, and numerous minnows and darters also 

were present. There are several feeder streams on the 

river; however, Black Creek and Spring Creek were the 

only ones that contained trout. Muskrat were common 

along with nesting mallard, black duck, blue-winged 

teal, wood duck, and hooded merganser. Large numbers 

of puddle ducks along with diving ducks, coot, and 

goose also used the river during migration periods. 

Loon Creek

Loon Creek is in Burnett County (T. 40 N., 

R. 15 W. , sec. 2 to T. 41 N., R. 16 W., sec. 27) and 

originates as the intermittent outlet of Loon Lake. As it 

flows toward its outlet into the Yellow River, it passes 

through Eagle, Briggs, Loon, Gull, Falk, and Minerva 

Lakes. Loon Creek enters into the Yellow River just 

upstream from where the Yellow River enters the St. 

Croix River at Danbury. Loon Creek has a total length 

of 10 mi, an average width of 27 ft, and an average 

depth of 1.5 ft (Blackman and others, 1966). Average 

gradient is 19 ft/mi. The total drainage area of Loon 

Creek is 56 mi2. The watershed of the river consists primarily of forested areas (67.7 percent) and wetlands 

(10.6 percent). Almost no agricultural or urban areas are 

present in the watershed. The surficial deposits in the 

watershed are mostly sand and gravel deposits and the 

average soil permeability is 9.7 in/hr. Only one potential 

point source of contamination, an active landfill, was 

identified in the watershed. 

Loon Creek
24 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Loon Creek is generally a clear, warm, medium- to 

hard-water river. Only one water-quality sample, collected by the USGS (station 05335010, fig. 8) in October 1970, was analyzed (results are summarized in 

table 8). Alkalinity of the river was 60 mg/L, and specific conductance was 130 μS/cm. The pH of Loon 

Creek was 7.2, and the total phosphorus concentration 

was 0.02 mg/L. No suspended sediment data were 

available. Additional water-quality data were compiled 

for nine lakes in the watershed. 

In 1965, a wide variety of fish were present, the 

most common being perch, bluegill, rock bass, white 

sucker, common shiner, creek chub, and longnose dace 

(Blackman and others, 1966). Northern pike, walleye, 

largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bullhead, redhorse, 

hog sucker, mudminnow, and johnny darter also were 

present. Muskrat and beaver were common and the 

504 acres of adjoining wetlands were used by nesting 

mallard, blue-winged teal, wood duck, and merganser. 

Numerous migrating puddle ducks also used the creek.

St. Croix River

The St. Croix River (fig. 1) originates in Upper St. 

Croix Lake in Douglas County and Upper Eau Claire 

Lake in Bayfield County, then flows south until it 

reaches the Mississippi River. Before reaching Danbury, the river flows through St. Croix Flowage and 

merges with the Namekagon and Totagatic Rivers (both 

originating in Douglas County). The average discharge 

of the river from 1914 through 1998 was 1,320 ft3

/s 

(Holmstrom and others, 1998). Streamflow is measured 

by the USGS at Danbury (station 05333500, fig. 8), and 

daily data are available from 1914 to the present. The 

total drainage area of the St. Croix River at Danbury is 

1,580 mi2

. The watershed of the river primarily consists 

of forested areas (64 percent) and wetlands (17 percent). Only 0.8 percent of the basin is agricultural and 

0.1 percent is urban (several small towns). The surficial 

deposits in the watershed are mostly sand (43 percent) 

and sand and gravel (54 percent) deposits. All the rivers 

draining the study area eventually flow into the St. 

Croix River. 

All the information for the St. Croix River, summarized in table 8, represent data collected by the USGS at 

station 05333500 from 1964 to 1999. The river has been 

extensively sampled from June 1995 to the present by 

the NAWQA program (Stark and others, 1999). This 

program maintains continual discharge measurements 

and samples the river approximately monthly plus during about five high-flow events each year. Each water 

sample is analyzed for a wide suite of constituents, 

which are listed in Stark and others (1999).

St. Croix River

The St. Croix River at Danbury is a light-brown 

color, medium- to hard-water river. Average alkalinity 

of the St. Croix River at Danbury was 54 mg/L, and 

average specific conductance was 124 μS/cm (table 8). 

Average pH of the river was about 7.5. Average total 

phosphorus concentration at Danbury was 0.02 mg/L, 

of which more than 60 percent was in dissolved forms. 

Average total nitrogen concentration was 0.52 mg/L, of 

which about 70 percent was in organic forms. Suspended sediment concentrations in the river were quite 

low, averaging 10 mg/L.

In 1965, the Burnett County portion of the river 

was managed for smallmouth bass, muskellunge, channel catfish, and rock or lake sturgeon (Blackman and 

others, 1966). The most abundant fish were redhorse. 

Midway in the scale of comparative abundance were 

smallmouth bass, channel catfish, muskellunge, walleye, rock sturgeon, northern pike, bullhead, yellow 

perch, bluegill, hog sucker, and white sucker. Least in 

numbers were largemouth bass, rock bass, black crappie, blue sucker, quillback, carp, bowfin, and burbot. 

There was also a wide variety of minnows and darters, 

which included the bluntnose minnow, common shiner, 

golden shiner, creek chub, spotfin darter, and gilt darter. 

In 1996, fish-community sampling was done on the 

St. Croix River near Danbury as part of the NAWQA 

program. Twenty-eight species of fish were identified 

during this effort (Goldstein and others, 1999). The only 

abundant species (greater than 20 percent of the number 
GROUND-WATER STUDIES AND DATA 25

of fish collected) identified was the common shiner. 

Common species (5 to 20 percent of the number of fish 

collected) identified include northern hogsucker, golden 

redhorse, shorthead redhorse, horny head chub, smallmouth bass, and gilt darter. Rare species (less than 

5 percent of the number of fish collected) included 

chestnut lamprey, southern brook lamprey, white 

sucker, silver redhorse, river redhorse, largescale stoneroller, bigmouth shiner, spotfin shiner, sand shiner, 

bluntnose minnow, longnose dace, stonecat, central 

mudminnow, northern pike, burbot, rock bass, bluegill, 

yellow perch, logperch, blackside darter, and walleye. 

In 1965, the river was an overwintering area for a 

variety of waterfowl and provided habitat for muskrat, 

beaver, nesting mallard, black duck, blue-winged teal, 

wood duck, and merganser (Blackman and others, 

1966). Migratory puddle ducks, diving ducks, coot, and 

Canada goose also used the river and its large areas of 

adjoining wetlands.

GROUND-WATER STUDIES AND DATA

The ground-water studies examined for this report 

included any investigation that contained descriptions 

of the physical or chemical characteristics of ground 

water or characteristics of aquifers in the study area. 

Previous Studies

A total of 41 ground-water studies or reports that 

include information relevant to the study area were 

identified (table 9). Most of the ground-water studies 

(27 of 41) were regional or statewide summaries. 

Thirty-three of the studies include water-quality information, 9 include information regarding water use, and 

23 provide descriptions of geology and aquifer characteristics relevant to the study area.

Many of the reports described in table 9 may provide useful information to the Tribe regarding groundwater resources for the Reservation and vicinity. In general, the county-scale studies by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey (Bridson, 1997a and 

1997b; Zaporozec, 1987) provide the most detailed 

description of geology, aquifer characteristics, water 

quality, and potential sources of contamination in the 

study area. The report by Horsley and Witten, Inc. 

(1999) provides a comprehensive summary of the water 

quality of the public-supply wells of the Reservation. 

Additionally, the report by Young and Hindall (1973) 

provides a thorough description of the physical setting, 

hydrogeology, and ground-water/surface-water relation 

in the study area.

Available Data

Ground-water data were compiled from several 

data bases in an effort to provide a description of the 

quality of the resources in the study area. Data were 

obtained from the WDNR Groundwater Retrieval Network (GRN) data base, the USEPA STORET data base, 

the NURE data base, and a data base maintained by the 

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Water-quality information 

for 773 wells was compiled (fig. 10). Most of the wells 

(674 of 773) were from the GRN data base, 54 wells 

were from the STORET data base, 31 wells were unique 

to the DATCP data base, and 14 wells were from the 

NURE data base. All the wells from the STORET data 

base were sampled by the USGS. Most of the sampled 

wells (731 of 773) were used for drinking water, and 

most of the drinking-water wells (628 of 731) represent 

domestic supplies. A summary of water-quality characteristics measured in samples from drinking-water wells 

is given in table 10. 

Ground-water information, summarized in 

table 10, represents 270 water-quality characteristics 

and more than 10,300 analyses from samples collected 

from drinking-water wells between 1911 and 1999 and 

obtained from the data bases described previously; 

however, most of the ground-water quality data were 

collected after about 1990. The characteristics summarized in table 10 include major ions, nutrients, organics, 

radionuclides, trace metals, microbes, and field measurements. The distribution of drinking-water wells 

with water-quality data covers much of the study area 

(figure 10); however, many of the characteristics listed 

in table 10 were collected from only a few wells and 

probably do not provide a representative description for 

the entire study area. Also, the number of measurements 

for each characteristics may include more than one 

measurement collected at a single well. 

For some of the water-quality characteristics listed 

in table 10, MCL’s or SMCL’s have been established 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1999c). Six of 

the constituents listed in table 10 equaled or exceeded 

an MCL in at least one sample: copper, lead, nitrate, tetrachloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethylene. Copper and lead can enter water supplies from 
26 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Big Round

Lake

Loon Creek

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

Well

WISCONSIN

Figure 10. Location of drinking-water wells in the study area for which water-quality data are available.
ADDITIONAL DATA 27

natural sources or as a result of corroded plumbing system materials (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

1999c). Nitrate can also occur naturally; however, elevated concentrations can be the result of fertilizer use, 

leaching of septic tanks, or sewage (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1999c). Tetrachloroethylene, 1,2-

dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethylene are organic 

chemicals used for industrial manufacturing or cleaning 

purposes (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

1999c). Most of the constituents that exceeded an MCL 

were detected at high concentrations in only one or two 

wells. Only nitrate and lead were found in high concentrations in more than two wells. Constituents that 

exceeded an SMCL include iron and manganese, which 

were found in high concentrations in 12 and 21 wells, 

respectively.

Distribution of total nitrite plus nitrate (commonly 

referred to as nitrate), one of the most commonly analyzed constituents in ground-water samples, is shown in 

fig. 11. In all, 362 nitrate analyses from 154 drinkingwater wells were obtained (fig. 11, table 10). Wells that 

had been sampled for nitrate were distributed over the 

entire study area; however, most of those wells were 

sampled only once or twice. Samples from five wells 

had concentrations greater than the 10 mg/L MCL. 

In addition to the information from the data bases 

described previously, a summary of all water-quality 

data specific to the St. Croix tribal water-supply systems was compiled by Horsley and Witten, Inc. (1999). 

Summaries of water quality and concerns were provided for four Tribal communities that have public-supply wells: Danbury, Hertel (near Big Sand Lake), Maple 

Plain (adjacent to Sand Lake), and Round Lake (adjacent to Big Round Lake). Only two constituents in 

ground-water analyses for the public-supply wells 

exceeded an MCL. Copper and lead concentrations in 

water samples collected from Maple Plain and Hertel 

wells exceeded the MCL’s (1,300 and 5.0 μg/L, respectively). The high concentrations were attributed to the 

materials in the water-distribution system. Several constituents, though not necessarily exceeding an MCL, 

were listed as “water-quality concerns” for each community: nitrate and VOC’s for the Danbury community; 

copper, lead, nitrate, VOC’s, and thallium for the Hertel 

communities; copper, lead, nitrate, VOC’s, and radionuclides for the Maple Plain community; and copper and 

lead for the Round Lake community. 

ADDITIONAL DATA

Additional data that may be useful for understanding and evaluating the water resources of the St. Croix 

Reservation and vicinity include meteorological data 

and digital thematic data.

Meteorological data are collected at several 

weather stations in and around the study area. Recent 

and historical data for these weather stations are available on the World Wide Web. Recent climatic data for 

active weather stations are available from the National 

Climatic Data Center Web site at URL 

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/. Historical climatic data for 

three weather stations near the study area are available 

from the Midwest Regional Climate Center at URL 

http://mcc.sws.uiuc.edu/. Historical data include information from station 471923 near Cumberland, Wis., 

station 471978 near Danbury, Wis., and station 478027 

at the Spooner Experimental Farm near Spooner, Wis. 

Data collected at the stations include temperature and 

precipitation and date back to 1894 for the Spooner 

Experimental Farm. The average annual temperature 

for these stations range from 41 to 43°F and the average 

annual precipitation ranges from 29 to 33 in/yr. 

Digital thematic data, referred to as Geographic 

Information Systems (GIS) spatial coverages, contain 

important information to help understand the effects of 

natural and anthropogenic factors on water resources as 

well as provide the ability to model, analyze, and display thematic information. GIS coverages are available 

at many scales, from neighborhoods to nations. The 

quality of data can vary from coarse data to very 

detailed, point-specific data. Many GIS coverages are 

available to the general public at no cost; however, others may be available for a fee or even restricted to a specific set of users. GIS themes may include infrastructure, such as roads, railroads, sewer lines, and municipal 

boundaries; environmental data such as geology, surficial deposits, land use, and contaminant point sources; 

and many other types of information. GIS coverages are 

available from a variety of sources including, but not 

limited to, the WDNR, USGS, USEPA, county Land 

Conservation Districts, universities, municipal governments, and other county and federal government agencies. Some of the coverages available from the WDNR 

are described by Laedlein (1993). The USGS Web site 

with downloadable GIS coverages can be found at the 

URL http://water.usgs.gov/public/GIS/. 
28 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Total nitrite plus nitrate concentration,

 milligrams per liter as N (USEPA MCL = 10.0 mg/L)

92°

92°22'30"

45°52'30"

45°37'30"

0 4 8 MILES

0 4 8 KILOMETERS

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Straight River

Clam

Bashaw

Lake

Yellow

Yellow River

Big Sand Lake

Gaslyn

Lake

Clam Lake

Sand

Lake

River

North Fork Clam River

River

Loon Creek

Upper St. Croix River

Study area watershed

EXPLANATION

Reservation 

Base composited from USGS Digital Line Graphs,

U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and USEPA RF3 files

WISCONSIN

Watershed boundary

Subwatershed boundary

0–1.99

2–9.99

10–22.3

Big Round

Lake

Figure 11. Total nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in drinking-water wells from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity. 

(Concentrations represent maximum values where more than one sample was collected for a well.)
SUMMARY 29

SUMMARY

The St. Croix Chippewa Tribe is interested in documenting water-quality conditions in lakes and streams 

adjacent to their Reservation lands in northwestern Wisconsin and developing management plans to protect 

these water resources. This report provides the Tribe 

with a retrospective summary and analysis of available 

water-resources-related information for their Reservation and vicinity.

The lakes of special interest to the Tribe include 

Bashaw, Big Round, Big Sand, Clam, Gaslyn, and Sand 

Lakes. The streams of interest include Loon Creek and 

the St. Croix and Yellow Rivers upstream from St. 

Croix Reservation lands near Danbury, Wis. The study 

area described in this report includes all of the watersheds containing these lakes and streams except the St. 

Croix River Watershed, which is more than two times as 

large as the area of the other watersheds of interest, 

combined. The study area is divided into four main 

watersheds: Big Round Lake, Clam River at Clam Lake 

Outlet, Yellow River at Danbury, and Loon Creek at 

Danbury. The Clam River Watershed includes the subwatersheds of Bashaw and Sand Lakes. The Yellow 

River Watershed includes the subwatersheds of Big 

Sand and Gaslyn Lakes. 

In all, 41 surface-water studies or reports that 

include information relevant to the study area were 

identified. Most of the surface-water studies were 

regional or statewide summaries. Fifteen of these studies include lake information, and 36 include stream 

information. Twenty-eight of the studies include waterquality data, and 16 include information describing 

aquatic biology. 

Water-quality and sediment-quality data were 

obtained for 80 lakes and 23 streams in the study area. 

Lake information includes data for 101 water-quality 

characteristics from nearly 4,300 water and sediment 

analyses of samples collected between 1972 and 1998. 

The most common characteristics measured for lakes 

were those describing field conditions (temperature, 

dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance), nutrient concentrations (phosphorus and nitrogen), hardness 

(alkalinity), and metals that accumulate in the deep part 

of lakes. For some characteristics, these data provide a 

fairly complete spatial coverage of water and sediment 

quality for lakes in the study area; however, for many 

measurements, such as transparency (Secchi depth), 

only a few lakes were sampled. The temporal representation for almost all lakes was very limited. Only 19 of 

the 80 lakes were sampled more than once. Water from 

the lakes of primary interest to the Tribe (Bashaw, Big 

Round, Big Sand, Clam, Gaslyn, and Sand Lakes) were 

sampled a few times for a wide range of characteristics 

by the USGS between August 1984 and August 1986 

and by either the WDNR or USEPA in subsequent 

years. Sediment samples from three of the lakes 

(Bashaw, Clam, and Gaslyn Lakes) were also collected 

by the USGS and analyzed for nutrient concentrations. 

The study area is dominated by mesotrophic to 

eutrophic lakes. The highest density of eutrophic lakes 

were in the Loon Creek and Clam River Watersheds; the 

highest density of mesotrophic lakes and the few oligotrophic lakes were located in the headwaters of the 

Yellow River Watershed. Most of the drainage lakes 

that intersect the main rivers in the basin have hard or 

moderately hard water, and most of the small seepage 

lakes have soft to very soft water.

Stream information summarized in this report 

includes data for 135 water-quality characteristics and 

nearly 4,500 water and sediment analyses from samples 

collected at 23 sites between 1964 and 1999. These 

data, however, do not represent the quality of water and 

sediment in streams throughout the entire study area. 

Most of the sampling locations were in the Clam River 

Watershed, specifically the Sand Lake Subwatershed. 

No stream data were available for the watersheds of 

Bashaw, Big Round, Big Sand, and Gaslyn Lakes, and 

very little stream data for most of the Clam River and 

Yellow River Watersheds. Seventy-eight percent of all 

analyses were done by the USGS on samples collected 

from the St. Croix River at Danbury between 1964 and 

1999, but mostly after 1994 when it was sampled as part 

of the USGS NAWQA program. Another 14 percent of 

all analyses were done by the USGS on samples collected from the Yellow River at Danbury between 1975 

and 1998. Data from 12 of the 23 streams summarized 

represent information collected from 12 small inlets to 

Kirby Lake in the Sand Lake Subwatershed in Barron 

County. For the remaining nine sites (seven sites in the 

Yellow River Watershed, one site in the Loon Creek 

Watershed, and one site in the Clam River Watershed) 

limited data were available from only a few analyses. 

Other than the wide suite of constituents measured 

at the St. Croix River at Danbury, most of the waterquality data were collected to describe alkalinity and 

nutrient concentrations. The only characteristic that was 

sampled over the entire area was alkalinity. In general, 

most streams in the Clam River Watershed were hardwater streams with alkalinities greater than 90 mg/L, 
30 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

whereas most of the other streams in the study area had 

medium to hard water with alkalinities between 40 and 

90 mg/L. Total phosphorus concentrations in the few 

streams that were sampled were generally less than 

0.1 mg/L, except in the tributaries to Kirby Lake, which 

were as high as 0.17 mg/L.

A total of 41 ground-water studies or reports that 

include information relevant to the study area were 

identified. Most of the ground-water studies were 

regional or statewide summaries. Of the 41 studies, 33 

include water-quality information, 9 include information regarding water use, and 23 provide descriptions of 

geology and aquifer characteristics relevant to the study 

area.

Water-quality information for 773 wells was compiled. Most of the sampled wells were used for drinking 

water, and most of the drinking-water wells represent 

domestic supplies.

Water-quality data summarized in this report represents 270 characteristics and more than 10,300 analyses 

of samples collected from drinking-water wells 

between 1911 and 1999; however, most of the groundwater-quality data were collected after about 1990. 

Constituents analyzed for in ground-water samples 

included major ions, nutrients, organics, radionuclides, 

trace metals, and microbes, in addition to field measurements. The distribution of drinking-water wells with 

water-quality data covers much of the study area; however, many of the measurements were collected from 

only a few wells and probably do not provide a complete description for the entire study area. 

On the basis of data summarized in this report, six 

constituents for which ground-water samples were analyzed equaled or exceeded a USEPA MCL in at least 

one sample: copper, lead, nitrate, tetrachloroethylene, 

1,2-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethylene. Most of 

these constituents exceeded an MCL in water samples 

from one or two wells. Only nitrate and lead were found 

in concentrations above the MCL in more than two 

wells. Iron and manganese exceeded a Secondary MCL 

in 12 and 21 wells, respectively.

Historical data summarized in this report were collected by several agencies using a variety of methods 

and covering a range of different time periods. Based on 

this information, the trends in and status of the water 

quality in the lakes and streams of interest to the Tribe 

can be only described generally. An accurate description of water-quality status and trends at a particular 

lake or stream would require a consistent and long-term, 

data-collection effort.

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34 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin
TABLES 3–10 35

Tables 3–10
36 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin Table 3. Characteristics and description of surface-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin Literature citation Characteristics Description

Lake

information

Stream

information

Aquatic biology

Water quality

Stream discharge

Sediment/sed. quality

Modeling/runoff

calculations

Habitat

Other

Andrews and others (1995)

X

X Regional summary of volatile organic compoun

River Basin. Contains data and maps on land organic compounds, and surface-water contamnear Danbury, Wis. contained low levels of v

Andrews and others (1996)

X

X

X Regional study of the Upper Mississippi River B

on aquatic biology and ecology collections. Tences for the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Reservation. 

Archer and others (1995)

X

X

X

X Statewide summary of Cryptosporidium and Gi

tions, and distributions in Wisconsin. 

Blackman and others (1966)

X

X

X

X

X

X Local study of the surface-water resources of Bu

of the central and western part of the study arphysical, chemical, and biologic characterististreams in the county. Also includes descriptilems in the county.

Burnett County Soil and Water 

Conservation District, Wisconsin (1974)

X

X Local summary of Burnett County surface wate

bank erosion and the importance of snags to rfies the locations of unstable slopes on severalakes; one river, the Clam, is in the vicinity o

Burnett (1982)

X

X Statewide summary of flood-plain zoning, costs

includes information on insurance, grants, anconsin floods. Zoning and cost issues may pe

Christopherson and others (1988)

X

X Statewide summary of legal aspects of surface-w

details on zoning, flood-plain management, ftions, and a shoreland-wetland floodplain comerence pertains to the area including and surrReservation. 

Engel and Nichols (1991)

X

X

X

X Local study of Rice Lake which is adjacent to th

Contains data on macrophytes and other biombidity, land cover, and bed-sediment chemistr

Fallon and others (1997)

X

X Regional summary of the Upper Mississippi Riv

ments taken in streams are listed by county, itaining the St. Croix Reservation. Includes mcarbofuran and aldicarb pesticide concentrati

Table 3. Characteristics and description of surface-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin[X, study includes description of these characteristics relevant to the Reservation and vicinity]
Table 3 37

Field (1978) X X Statewide summary of low-flow characteristics 

the Watershed Protection and Flood Preventio566).

Gebert and Holmstrom (1974) X X Statewide summary of low-flow characteristics 

age-treatment plants.

Goldstein and others (1999) X X X Regional summary of the Upper Mississippi Riv

Minnesota focusing on the relation between fuse. Includes fish species and abundancy data Danbury, Wis.

Graczyk (1986) X X X X X Regional water-quality summary for the St. Cro

classifications of streams based on physical asurements given for dissolved oxygen, aciditysediment, major inorganic constituents, nutriepesticides, discharge, and sediment loads and or immediately adjacent to the St. Croix Rese

Holmstrom (1979) X X Statewide summary of low-flow characteristics 

ment and industrial plants in Wisconsin. 

Holmstrom (1980) X X X Regional study of the St. Croix River Basin. Co

surface-water flow. Has data on low flow, incSeveral sites analyzed are in the vicinity of th

Holmstrom and others (1990–99) X X X Statewide summaries of streamflow and water-q

tored sites in Wisconsin for water years 1989 

Krabbenhoft and Krohelski 

(1992)

X X X X Local summary of the water quality, lake sedim

tions for St. Croix Reservation. Includes data acidity for Bashaw, Big Round, Big Sand, ClaReport includes tables listing physical and chlake. Water-quality measurements include hamagnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, irand zinc.

Kroening (1996) X X Regional study of the Upper Mississippi River B

nesota. Contains data on nitrogen and phosphCroix River near Danbury, Wis., had low leve

Table 3. Characteristics and description of surface-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Literature citation

Characteristics

Description

Lake 

information

Stream 

information

Aquatic biology

Water quality

Stream discharge

Sediment/sed. quality

Modeling/runoff

calculations

Habitat

Other
38 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin Kroening (1998) X X Regional study of the Upper Mississippi River B

nesota. Nutrient sources are detailed, and phoamounts are cited by location, including sites 

Muldoon and others (1990) X X Regional study focused on natural occurence of 

materials and in ground water and possible efIncludes information for several of the lakes 

Patterson (1990) X X X Local study of the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area

the St. Croix Reservation. Primarily a resourction, however it contains discharge measuremat Danbury, Wis. Rose (1993) X X X X X X Local study of Balsam Lake in Northwestern Winflow and outflow measurements are chartedtion measurements are given. Other propertierus concentrations and trophic state indices. TBig Round Lake Watershed in Polk County. Rose and Robertson (1998) X X X X X X X Local study of Kirby Lake in Barron County. Wgiven in terms of lake stage, precipitation, anconductance, total phosphorus, dissolved oxyface chlorophyll a, and trophic-state indices h

Lake is in the Sand Lake Subwatershed of the 

Sather and Busch (1976) X X X X X X Local study of the surface-water resources of W

eastern part of the study area, in particular the River. Report includes detailed physical, chemistics for all of the lakes and streams in the cotions of surface-water problems in the county

Sather and Threinen (1961) X X X X X X Local study of the surface-water resources of Po

southern part of the study area, in particular Bthe Clam River Watershed. Report includes dand biologic characteristics for all of the lakeAlso includes descriptions of surface-water p

Sather and Threinen (1964) X X X X X X Local study of the surface-water resources of B

southeastern part of the study area, in particuwatershed. Report includes detailed physical, acteristics for all of the lakes and streams in tdescriptions of surface-water problems in the 

Table 3. Characteristics and description of surface-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Literature citation

Characteristics

Description

Lake 

information

Stream 

information

Aquatic biology

Water quality

Stream discharge

Sediment/sed. quality

Modeling/runoff

calculations

Habitat

Other
Table 3 39

Stark and others (1996) X X X Regional summary of Upper Mississippi River B

flow and aquatic species information; howevavailable for the study area.

Stark and others (1999) X X X X Regional summary of the Upper Mississippi Riv

information on land use, aquatic biology, and focuses on water-quality in agricultural and uwhat studies were done on streams, including St. Croix Reservation. 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (1992)

X X X Statewide documentation of risk evaluation of t

faced by tribes in Wisconsin. Water-resourcein the report and relevant to the Reservation iand nonpoint-source discharge; drinking-watination; physical degradation of aquatic habittoxic substances; and pesticides.

West Central Wisconsin Regional 

Planning Commission (1976)

X X Local water and sewer plan for Polk County. Inc

soil survey information. Details are given for Fall, Wis., which is in the southern part of the 

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1972)

X X X Regional study of pollution in the St. Croix Riv

cal survey, acidity, dissolved oxygen, and temwater near waste sites. Yellow River is a case 

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1975)

X X X X Regional study of the St. Croix River Basin. Fo

including measurements of dissolved oxygendemand, bacteria concentrations, suspended anutrients. Also has discharge measurements fsites. Includes sites in the vicinity of the St. C

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1979)

X X X X Regional study of the St. Croix River Basin. No

but has thorough summary of organic matter lakes and streams in the vicinity of the St. Cr

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1982)

X X X Regional study of pollution in the St. Croix Riv

point and nonpoint sources of pollution, wastestimates for meeting future wastewater needthe St. Croix Reservation. 

Table 3. Characteristics and description of surface-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Literature citation

Characteristics

Description

Lake 

information

Stream 

information

Aquatic biology

Water quality

Stream discharge

Sediment/sed. quality

Modeling/runoff

calculations

Habitat

Other
40 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (1984) X X X Regional study of the St. Croix River Basin. Lis

including point and nonpoint sources of pollutions to establish watershed management proment programs would include the area in the Reservation. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (1995) X X Statewide summary of Wisconsin lakes. Includethe study. Details include: lake area, maximuaccess, lake map type, and fish species presenings for mercury. Wisconsin Heritage Areas Pro- gram (1978) X X X Local study of Burnett County that includes muctownship and range location of streams and qrounding biology. Wisconsin Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement Program (1993a) X X X X Local study of the Yellow River Watershed in Band partially including the St. Croix Indian Rshed includes land use management, agricultusources, and water-quality properties such as for establishing a water management plan in Reservation. Wisconsin Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement Program (1993b) X X X X Local study of the Yellow River Watershed in Band partially including the St. Croix Indian Rfocuses on the cost aspects of the first volum

Wisconsin Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Abatement 

Program (1995)

X X Local study of the Balsam Branch Watershed an

lands. Contains data on water-quality, includinadjacent to the Big Round Lake Watershed in extensive data on point and nonpoint sources menting pollution-management programs are 

Young and Hindall (1973) X X X X X Regional summary of the water resources of the 

Includes a wide variety of surface- and grounto the study area and a detailed description of Includes streamflow and water quality for somarea.

Table 3. Characteristics and description of surface-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Literature citation

Characteristics

Description

Lake 

information

Stream 

information

Aquatic biology

Water quality

Stream discharge

Sediment/sed. quality

Modeling/runoff

calculations

Habitat

Other
Table 4 41

Table 4. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics for samples from lakes from the 

St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max

00010 Water temperature, field, °C 317 0 56

00074 Light transmission, 1 meter, percent 10 70 94

00076 Turbidity, Hach, FTU 89 0.5 20

00078 Transparency, Secchi disk, meters 71 .55 20

00080 Color, platinum cobalt scale 37 5 130

00095 Specific conductance, μS/cm at 25°C 271 12.7 250

00154 Sulfate, total, mg/L as S 14 .27 4.3

00300 Oxygen, dissolved, mg/L 353 <DL 13.9

00400 pH, field 277 5.2 9.4

00403 pH, whole water, lab 117 5.9 9.6

00409 Alkalinity, total, gran titration, μeq/L 14 27 1,900

00410 Alkalinity, total, mg/L as CaCO3 107 2.0 91

00417 Alkalinity, fixed endpoint, lab, mg/L 1 7.0 7.0

00496 Loss on ignition, bottom material, mg/kg 8 7,600 630,000

00500 Residue, total, mg/L 16 12 38

00505 Residue, total volatile, mg/L 20 10 18

00515 Residue, total, filtered, dried at 105°C, mg/L 1 28 28

00530 Residue, total, nonfiltered, mg/L 29 2 12

00600 Nitrogen, total, mg/L as N 64 .2 2.9

00605 Nitrogen, organic, mg/L as N 70 .15 1.8

00608 Nitrogen, ammonia, dissolved, mg/L as N 102 <DL 1.4

00610 Nitrogen, ammonia, total, mg/L as N 30 <DL 0.52

00611 Nitrogen, ammonia, bottom material, mg/kg as N 12 8 380

00613 Nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved, mg/L as N 65 <DL .04

00615 Nitrogen, nitrite, total, mg/L as N 11 <DL <DL

00618 Nitrogen, nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N 65 <DL .68

00623 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, dissolved, mg/L 3 .2 .6

00624 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, suspended, mg/L as N 3 .2 .5

00625 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, total, mg/L as N 37 <DL 2.7

00626 Nitrogen, ammonia plus organic, bottom material, mg/kg as N 12 <DL 93,000

00630 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, total, mg/L as N 28 <DL .1

00631 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N 40 <DL .13

00633 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, bottom material, mg/kg as N 12 <DL 280

00662 Phosphorus, total recoverable, μg/L as P 14 16 100

00665 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as P 267 <DL .26

00666 Phosphorus, dissolved, mg/L as P 31 <DL .6

00668 Phosphorus, bottom material, mg/kg as P 12 17 2,400

Table 4. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics for samples from lakes from the 

St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin

[N, number; Min, minimum value; Max, maximum value; <DL, less than the detection limit; °C, degrees Celsius; FTU, formazin 

turbidity unit; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μeq/L, microequivalents per liter; mg/kg, milligrams

per kilogram; μg/L, micrograms per liter; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units]
42 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

00671 Phosphorus, dissolved orthophosphate, mg/L as P 97 <DL .06

00681 Carbon, organic, dissolved, mg/L as C 14 4.1 15

00691 Carbon, inorganic, dissolved mg/L as C 14 .53 22

00900 Hardness, total, mg/L as CaCO3 9 12 100

00910 Calcium, mg/L as CaCO3 14 .76 24

00915 Calcium, dissolved, mg/L as Ca 14 9.6 26

00916 Calcium, total, mg/L as Ca 89 1 23

00918 Calcium, total recoverable, mg/L as Ca 2 3.4 3.4

00921 Magnesium, total recoverable, mg/L as Mg 2 1.1 1.1

00923 Sodium, total recoverable, mg/L as Na 2 1.2 1.4

00925 Magnesium, dissolved, mg/L as Mg 28 .42 9.3

00927 Magnesium, total, mg/L as Mg 88 <DL 10

00929 Sodium, total, mg/L as Na 89 .9 12

00930 Sodium, dissolved, mg/L as Na 28 .17 3.9

00931 Sodium adsorption ratio 4 .1 .1

00932 Sodium, percent 4 6 7

00935 Potassium, dissolved, mg/L as K 28 .2 5

00937 Potassium, total, mg/L as K 86 .5 5.1

00940 Chloride, dissolved, mg/L as Cl 102 .9 13

00941 Chloride, total, mg/L as Cl 14 .2 6.5

00945 Sulfate, dissolved, mg/L as SO4 36 2.0 8.5

00950 Fluoride, dissolved, mg/L as F 28 <DL .1

00955 Silica, dissolved, mg/L as SiO2 30 .09 26

00980 Iron, total recoverable, μg/L as Fe 2 .12 .12

01002 Arsenic, total, μg/L as As 11 <DL <DL

01005 Barium, dissolved, μg/L as Ba 7 18 62

01007 Barium, total, μg/L as Ba 11 <DL <DL

01010 Beryllium, dissolved, μg/L as Be 7 <DL <DL

01012 Beryllium, total, μg/L as Be 11 <DL <DL

01027 Cadmium, total, μg/L as Cd 11 <DL <DL

01034 Chromium, total, μg/L as Cr 11 2 10

01037 Cobalt, total, μg/L as Co 11 <DL <DL

01042 Copper, total, μg/L as Cu 11 2 6

01044 Iron, suspended, μg/L as Fe 6 100 710

01045 Iron, total, μg/L as Fe 20 .06 1,700

01046 Iron, dissolved, mg/L as Fe 14 3 960

01051 Lead, total, μg/L as Pb 11 <DL <DL

01054 Manganese, suspended, μg/L as Mn 4 40 180

01055 Manganese, total, μg/L as Mn 100 .06 2,200

01056 Manganese, dissolved, μg/L as Mn 28 <DL 260

Table 4. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics for samples from lakes from the 

St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
Table 4 43

01062 Molybdenum, total, μg/L as Mo 11 <DL 4

01065 Nickel, dissolved, μg/L as Ni 7 1 80

01067 Nickel, total, μg/L as Ni 11 3 25

01077 Silver, total, μg/L as Ag 11 <DL <DL

01080 Strontium, dissolved, μg/L as Sr 11 24 49

01092 Zinc, total, μg/L as Zn 13 8 30

01095 Antimony, dissolved, μg/L as Sb 7 <DL <DL

01105 Aluminum, total, μg/L as Al 25 10 170

01123 Manganese, total recoverable, μg/L as Mn 2 17 18

01147 Selenium, total, μg/L as Se 11 <DL <DL

32210 Chlorophyll a, μg/L, trichromatic uncorrected 131 .09 32

32217 Chlorophyll a, μg/L, fluorometric uncorrected 6 3.9 35

49701 Transparency, Secchi disk, feet 136 3 24

50245 Potassium, total recoverable, mg/L 2 1.3 1.5

70300 Dissolved residue, mg/L at 180°C 14 54 130

70301 Dissolved solids, sum, mg/L 4 98 120

70507 Orthophosphorus, total, mg/L as P 14 <DL .05

71846 Ammonia, dissolved, mg/L 4 .03 .04

71851 Nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as NO3 14 <DL .82

71885 Iron, μg/L as Fe 14 20 960

71886 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as PO4 7 .06 .31

71900 Mercury, total, μg/L as Hg 11 <DL .5

74010 Iron, total, mg/L as Fe 83 <DL 15

82079 Turbidity, lab, NTU 14 .5 5

Table 4. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics for samples from lakes from the 

St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
44 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Table 5. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics and flow data for samples from streams 

from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max

00010 Water temperature, field, °C 219 0 26

00060 Streamflow, ft3

/s 32 1,030 6,190

00061 Streamflow, instantaneous, ft3

/s 200 0 6,670

00070 Turbidity, JTU 11 1 5

00076 Turbidity, Hach, FTU 9 0 5

00080 Color, platinum cobalt scale 23 5 110

00095 Specific conductance, μS/cm at 25°C 209 50 230

00300 Oxygen, dissolved, mg/L 103 6 15

00400 pH, field 116 6 8.6

00403 pH, whole water, lab 69 7 8.2

00405 Carbon dioxide, mg/L 93 <DL 82

00410 Alkalinity, total, mg/L as CaCO3 40 21 190

00440 Bicarbonate, mg/L as HCO3 21 26 110

00445 Carbonate, mg/L as CO3 19 <DL <DL

00452 Carbonate, field, mg/L as CO3 24 <DL 81

00453 Bicarbonate, field, mg/L as HCO3 53 22 91

00600 Nitrogen, total, mg/L 84 <DL 1.9

00605 Nitrogen, organic, mg/L as N 74 <DL 1.7

00608 Nitrogen, ammonia, dissolved, mg/L as N 60 <DL 0.11

00610 Nitrogen, ammonia, total, mg/L as N 46 <DL .11

00613 Nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved, mg/L as N 59 <DL .03

00615 Nitrogen, nitrite, total, mg/L as N 46 <DL .06

00620 Nitrogen, nitrate, total, mg/L as N 33 <DL .43

00623 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, dissolved, mg/L 59 <DL .62

00625 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, total, mg/L as N 106 <DL 1.8

00630 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, total, mg/L as N 46 <DL .44

00631 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N 60 <DL .36

00650 Phosphate, total, mg/L as PO4 2 <DL .09

00665 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as P 149 <DL .39

00666 Phosphorus, dissolved, mg/L as P 100 <DL .08

00668 Phosphorus, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 330 780

00671 Phosphorus, dissolved orthophosphate, mg/L as P 60 <DL .03

00680 Carbon, organic, total, mg/L as C 32 2 39

00681 Carbon, organic, dissolved, mg/L as C 54 3 20

00689 Carbon, organic, suspended, mg/L as C 54 <DL 2.2

00720 Cyanide, total, mg/L as Cn 8 <DL <DL

00900 Hardness, total, mg/L as CaCO3 88 27 98

Table 5. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics and flow data for samples from streams 

from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin

[N, number; Min, minimum value; Max, maximum value; <DL, less than the detection limit; °C, degrees Celsius; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; 

JTU, Jackson turbidity unit; FTU, formazin turbidity unit; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/kg, milligrams 

per kilogram; μg/L, micrograms per liter; μg/kg, micrograms per kilogram; μm, micrometer; MF, membrane filter; mL, milliliter; mm, millimeter; 

pCi/L, picocuries per liter]
Table 5 45

00902 Hardness, noncarbonate, mg/L as CaCO3 25 <DL 13

00915 Calcium, dissolved, mg/L as Ca 87 7 25

00916 Calcium, total, mg/L as Ca 7 9 30

00917 Calcium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 0.78 2.2

00924 Magnesium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 .55 1.6

00925 Magnesium, dissolved, mg/L as Mg 87 1.0 8.5

00927 Magnesium, total, mg/L as Mg 7 3.3 12

00929 Sodium, total, mg/L as Na 7 2.1 4.7

00930 Sodium, dissolved, mg/L as Na 86 1 3.9

00931 Sodium adsorption ratio 86 0 .2

00932 Sodium, percent 86 5.0 11

00934 Potassium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 .45 .96

00935 Potassium, dissolved, mg/L as K 86 <DL 1.3

00937 Potassium, total, mg/L as K 1 1 1

00938 Potassium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 1.3 1.8

00940 Chloride, dissolved, mg/L as Cl 106 <DL 7.8

00945 Sulfate, dissolved, mg/L as SO4 89 1 10

00946 Sulfate, mg/L as SO4 7 <DL 7

00950 Fluoride, dissolved, mg/L as F 87 <DL .3

00955 Silica, dissolved, mg/L as SiO2 86 8 17

00956 Silica, total, mg/L as SiO2 1 .006 .006

01002 Arsenic, total, μg/L as As 17 <DL 2.0

01003 Arsenic, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 .80 1.9

01007 Barium, total, μg/L as Ba 12 3 200

01008 Barium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 330 580

01012 Beryllium, total, μg/L as Be 9 <DL 10

01013 Beryllium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 <DL 1

01018 Iron, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 1.8 3.9

01022 Boron, total, μg/L as B 15 <DL 60

01023 Boron, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 <DL 14

01027 Cadmium, total, μg/L as Cd 17 <DL 3

01029 Chromium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 40 70

01034 Chromium, total, μg/L as Cr 17 1 20

01037 Cobalt, total, μg/L as Co 17 <DL 2.0

01038 Cobalt, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 13 25

01042 Copper, total, μg/L as Cu 16 <DL 24

01043 Copper, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 6 51

01044 Iron, suspended, μg/L as Fe 1 80 80

01045 Iron, total, μg/L as Fe 16 <DL 810

01046 Iron, dissolved, mg/L as Fe 68 40 791

Table 5. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics and flow data for samples from streams 

from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
46 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

01051 Lead, total, μg/L as Pb 10 <DL 24

01053 Manganese, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 310 840

01054 Manganese, suspended, μg/L as Mn 1 3 3

01055 Manganese, total, μg/L as Mn 17 <DL 100

01056 Manganese, dissolved, μg/L as Mn 68 7 37

01059 Thallium, total μg/L as Tl 7 <DL <DL

01062 Molybdenum, total μg/L as Mo 8 <DL 8

01063 Molybdenum, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 <DL <DL

01067 Nickel, total, μg/L as Ni 17 <DL 16

01077 Silver, total, μg/L as Ag 16 <DL <DL

01078 Silver, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 <DL <DL

01080 Strontium, dissolved, μg/L as Sr 1 43 43

01082 Strontium, total, μg/L as Sr 1 29 29

01083 Strontium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 85 190

01087 Vanadium, total, μg/L as V 7 <DL <DL

01088 Vanadium, sediment, mg/kg dry weight 7 69 130

01092 Zinc, total, μg/L as Zn 17 <DL 45

01093 Zinc, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 38 87

01105 Aluminum, total, μg/L as Al 8 <DL 37

01132 Lithium, total, μg/L as Li 7 <DL 4

01133 Lithium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 6 13

01147 Selenium, total, μg/L as Se 17 <DL .2

01148 Selenium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 <DL 1.7

01162 Zirconium, total, μg/L as Zr 7 <DL <DL

01163 Zirconium, bottom material, mg/kg dry weight 7 70 70

01183 Niobium, sediment, mg/kg dry weight 7 4 14

01189 Scandium, total, μg/L as Sc 7 <DL <DL

01203 Yttrium, total, μg/L as Y 7 <DL 1

01239 Niobium, total, μg/L as Nb 7 <DL 7

04132 Nickel, sediment, mg/kg dry weight 7 12 38

22608 Uranium, sediment, mg/kg dry weight 7 .68 3.9

22706 Uranium, total, μg/L as U 7 .02 .39

31616 Fecal coliform, MF M-FC broth, colonies/100 mL 26 1 56

31625 Fecal coliform, MF M-FC agar, 0.7 μm, colonies/100 mL 38 <DL 600

31673 Fecal streptococci, MF KF agar, colonies/100 mL 38 3 3,500

31679 Fecal streptococci, MF M-Ent agar, colonies/100 mL 7 5 1,000

34480 Thallium, sediment, mg/kg dry weight 7 2,700 7,800

39086 Alkalinity, total filtered, incremental, mg/L as CaCO3 53 18 74

45514 Yttrium, sediment, mg/kg dry weight 7 12 20

70300 Dissolved residue, mg/L at 180°C 88 34 130

Table 5. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics and flow data for samples from streams 

from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
Table 5 47

70301 Dissolved solids, sum, mg/L 85 42 120

70302 Dissolved solids, tons per day 83 63 1,300

70303 Dissolved solids, tons per acre-ft 85 <DL .15

70331 Suspended sediment, percent <0.062 mm 70 4 100

70507 Phosphorus, total orthophosphate, mg/L as P 1 .02 .02

71845 Ammonia, total, mg/L 43 <DL .14

71846 Ammonia, dissolved, mg/L 29 .03 .08

71851 Nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as NO3 13 <DL .9

71883 Manganese, elemental, μg/L as Mn 1 100 100

71885 Iron, μg/L 2 270 350

71886 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as PO4 27 <DL .21

71887 Nitrogen, total, mg/L as NO3 42 <DL 8.5

71900 Mercury, total, μg/L as Hg 10 <DL 1

80154 Suspended sediment, mg/L 107 1 94

80155 Suspended sediment, discharge, tons per day 106 .88 740

81726 Scandium, sediment, mg/kg dry weight 7 330 780

82313 Thallium, bottom material, μg/kg dry weight 7 .004 .007

82364 Thorium, total, μg/L as Th 7 <DL <DL

82068 Potassium-40, dissolved, pCi/L as K-40 3 <DL 1

Table 5. Summary of selected water-quality and sediment-quality characteristics and flow data for samples from streams 

from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
48 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Table 6. Summary of selected water-quality data collected during June through August (unless specified) for samples from 

lakes from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin

Lake

Total phosphorus,

mg/L

Chlorophyll a,

μg/L

Secchi depth,

feet

N mean N mean N mean

Lakes of special interest

Big Round Lake 1 0.15 --- --- --- ---

Clam Lake 2 .03 --- --- 4 4.3

Bashaw Lake 2 .09 --- --- 1 3.0

Sand Lake 1 .01

Big Sand Lake 2 .02 1 7.4 1 1

14.1

Gaslyn Lake 3 .03 1 30 1 2.0

Other lakes

Austin Lake 1 .02 1 11 --- ---

Baker Lake 1 .02 1 3.9 --- ---

Bass Lake (eastern Polk County) 1 .01 1 13 --- ---

Bass Lake (southeast Burnett County) 1 .01 --- --- --- ---

Bass Lake (eastern Burnett County) 1 .01 1 7.9 --- ---

Big Ripley Lake 1 .02 1 7.5 --- ---

Burlingame Lake 1 .04 1 10 --- ---

Clam Falls Flowage 1 .03 1 18 --- ---

Conners Lake 1 .01 1 18 --- ---

Crystal Lake 1 .03 1 1.3 --- ---

Dahl Lake 1 .02 1 4.5 --- ---

Deep Lake 1 .02 1 2.7 --- ---

Eagle Lake 1 .04 1 16 --- ---

Fish Lake (west basin) 3 .01 3 3.1 7 12.5

Goose Lake 1 .01 1 3.5 --- ---

Green Lake 1 .13 1 11 --- ---

Hanscom Lake 1 .02 1 7.8 --- ---

Hayden Lake 1 .01 1 12 --- ---

Johnson Lake 1 .01 1 6.8 --- ---

Kidney Lake 1 .02 1 8.9 --- ---

Kirby Lake 2 .03 2 5.5 1 5.6

Knapp Lake 1 .04 1 5.3 --- ---

Larson Lake 1 .07 1 28 --- ---

Leach Lake 1 .02 1 5.7 --- ---

Little Long Lake (Burnett County) 1 .01 1 12 --- ---

Long Lake (Washburn County) 1 .05 1 17 --- ---

Little Pine Lake 1 .03 1 18 --- ---

Little Ripley Lake 1 .02 2 6.3 --- ---

Loon Lake 1 .02 1 13 --- ---

Love Lake 1 .02 1 7.1 --- ---

Table 6. Summary of selected water-quality data collected during June through August (unless specified) for samples from 

lakes from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L, micrograms per liter; N, number; ---, no data]
Table 6 49

Mallard Lake 1 .02 1 5.4 --- ---

McKenzie Lake 1 .01 1 14 --- ---

Minerva Lake 1 .03 1 16 --- ---

North Lake 1 .03 1 15 --- ---

Oak Lake 1 .01 1 1.7 --- ---

Offers Lake 1 .02 1 5.3 --- ---

Pavlas Lake 1 .03 1 6.3 --- ---

Point Lake 3 .03 3 4.8 16 6.6

Pokegama Lake 1 .01 1 12 --- ---

Rice Lake 2 .05 --- --- --- ---

Ripley Lake 1 .01 1 2.5 --- ---

Sand Lake (Burnett County) 1 .04 1 4.8 --- ---

Shell Lake 36 .01 36 5.7 91 13.1

Stone Lake 1 .03 1 32 --- ---

Twenty Six Lake 1 .03 1 6.9 --- ---

Yellow Lake 4 .05 --- --- 7 4.3

Yellow River Flowage 1 .04 1 5.9 --- ---

1

 Secchi depth measured May 1965.

Table 6. Summary of selected water-quality data collected during June through August (unless specified) for samples from 

lakes from the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Lake

Total phosphorus,

mg/L

Chlorophyll a,

μg/L

Secchi depth,

feet

N mean N mean N mean
50 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin Table 7. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the lakes of interest for the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, W

Parameter code Characteristic Bashaw Lake Big Round Lake Big Sand Lake Clam Lake 

N Mean N Mean N Mean N Mean N 

00010 Water temperature, field, °C 3 20 3 16 2 22 3 20 3 00076 Turbidity, Hach, FTU --- --- --- --- 2 2.3 --- --- 1 00078 Transparency, Secchi disk, meters 1 0.9 1 2 1 4.3 4 1.3 1 00080 Color, platinum cobalt scale --- --- 1 13 --- --- --- --- --- 00095 Specific conductance, μS/cm at 25°C 3 205 3 219 4 111 3 214 4 

00154 Sulfate, total, mg/L as S --- --- 1 4.3 --- --- --- --- --- 00300 Oxygen, dissolved, mg/L 3 6.9 2 8.3 3 5.8 3 8.6 4 00400 pH, field 3 7.9 2 9 2 8.5 3 8.2 2 00403 pH, whole water, lab 2 7.8 3 8.1 4 7.7 2 8.4 3 00409 Alkalinity, total, gran titration, μeq/L --- --- 1 1,900 --- --- --- --- --- 

00410 Alkalinity, total, mg/L as CaCO3 1 84 --- --- 2 42 --- --- 1 

00496 Loss on ignition, bottom material, mg/kg 2 420,000 --- --- --- --- 2 480,000 2 00530 Residue, total, nonfiltered, mg/L 1 7 1 12 1 2 1 6 1 00600 Nitrogen, total, mg/L as N --- --- --- --- 2 .78 --- --- 1 00605 Nitrogen, organic, mg/L as N 2 1.2 --- --- 2 .44 2 .78 2 00608 Nitrogen, ammonia, dissolved, mg/L as N 3 .05 2 0.09 4 .15 3 .03 4 00610 Nitrogen, ammonia, total, mg/L as N 2 .08 1 .25 1 <DL 2 .03 2 

00611 Nitrogen, ammonia, bottom material, mg/kg as N 3 200 --- --- --- --- 3 130 3 

00613 Nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved, mg/L as N --- --- --- --- 2 .01 --- --- 1 00615 Nitrogen, nitrite, total, mg/L as N 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 00618 Nitrogen, nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N --- --- --- --- 2 .07 --- --- 1 00623 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, dissolved, mg/L --- --- 1 .3 1 .6 --- --- --- 00624 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, suspended, mg/L as N --- --- 1 .50 1 .2 --- --- --- 00625 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, total, mg/L as N 2 1.3 2 1.8 2 .8 3 .8 2 00626 Nitrogen, ammonia plus organic, bottom material, mg/kg as N 3 36,000 --- --- --- --- 3 45,000 3 00630 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, total, mg/L as N 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 00631 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N 3 .11 2 <DL 2 <DL 3 <DL 3 00633 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, bottom material, mg/kg as N 3 83 --- --- --- --- 3 89 3 00662 Phosphorus, total recoverable, μg/L as P --- --- 1 27 --- --- --- --- --- 00665 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as P 2 .09 2 .13 4 .02 3 .05 3 00666 Phosphorus, dissolved, mg/L as P 3 .02 2 .03 2 .04 3 .03 3 

Table 7. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the lakes of interest for the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, W[N, number; ---, no data; <DL, less than the detection limit; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/kg, milligrams per kilogranephelometric turbidity unit]
Table 7 51

00668 Phosphorus, bottom material, mg/kg as P 3 660 --- --- --- --- 3 650 3 00671 Phosphorus, dissolved orthophosphate, mg/L as P 3 <DL 2 <DL 3 .01 3 <DL 4 00681 Carbon, organic, dissolved, mg/L as C --- --- 1 4.1 --- --- --- --- --- 00691 Carbon, inorganic, dissolved mg/L as C --- --- 1 22 --- --- --- --- --- 00900 Hardness, total, mg/L as CaCO3 3 93 2 87 --- --- 3 99 3 

00910 Calcium, mg/L as CaCO3 --- --- 1 23 --- --- --- --- --- 

00915 Calcium, dissolved, mg/L as Ca 3 24 2 21 2 9.7 3 26 3 00916 Calcium, total, mg/L as Ca --- --- --- --- 2 8.5 --- --- 1 00925 Magnesium, dissolved, mg/L as Mg 3 8 3 8.4 2 3.4 3 9 3 00927 Magnesium, total, mg/L as Mg --- --- --- --- 2 3 --- --- 1 00929 Sodium, total, mg/L as Na --- --- --- --- 2 5 --- --- 1 00930 Sodium, dissolved, mg/L as Na 3 2.8 3 2.7 2 1.8 3 2.9 3 00931 Sodium adsorption ratio 1 .1 --- --- --- --- 1 .1 1 00932 Sodium, percent 1 6 --- --- --- --- 1 6 1 00935 Potassium, dissolved, mg/L as K 3 .93 3 .85 2 .4 3 .7 3 00937 Potassium, total, mg/L as K --- --- --- --- 2 .55 --- --- 1 00940 Chloride, dissolved, mg/L as Cl 3 2.8 2 3 4 1.3 3 2.1 4 00941 Chloride, total, mg/L as Cl --- --- 1 2.8 --- --- --- --- --- 00945 Sulfate, dissolved, mg/L as SO4 3 5.8 2 3.8 2 3.1 3 4.7 3 

00950 Fluoride, dissolved, mg/L as F 3 .1 3 .09 2 .1 3 .1 3 00955 Silica, dissolved, mg/L as SiO2 3 14 3 22 2 2 3 16 3 01002 Arsenic, total, μg/L as As 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 

01005 Barium, dissolved, μg/L as Ba 1 23 1 25 1 25 1 28 1 01007 Barium, total, μg/L as Ba 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 01010 Beryllium, dissolved, μg/L as Be 1 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 1 

01012 Beryllium, total, μg/L as Be 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 01027 Cadmium, total, μg/L as Cd 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 01034 Chromium, total, μg/L as Cr 2 6.5 1 2 1 4 2 2.5 2 01037 Cobalt, total, μg/L as Co 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 01042 Copper, total, μg/L as Cu 2 2.5 1 5 1 3 2 5 2 01044 Iron, suspended, μg/L as Fe 2 250 1 100 1 170 2 290 2 01045 Iron, total, μg/L as Fe 3 500 2 300 2 280 3 440 3 

01046 Iron, dissolved, μg/L as Fe 3 88 2 17 2 49 3 130 3 

Table 7. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the lakes of interest for the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, W

Parameter 

code Characteristic

Bashaw Lake Big Round Lake Big Sand Lake Clam Lake 

N Mean N Mean N Mean N Mean N 
52 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin 01051 Lead, total, μg/L as Pb 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 

01054 Manganese, suspended, μg/L as Mn 1 40 --- --- --- --- 1 50 1 

01055 Manganese, total, μg/L as Mn 2 80 1 160 3 83 2 55 3 

01056 Manganese, dissolved, μg/L as Mn 3 23 3 11 2 3.5 3 14 3 

01062 Molybdenum, total, μg/L as Mo 2 2 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 1 2 01065 Nickel, dissolved, μg/L as Ni 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 

01067 Nickel, total, μg/L as Ni 2 9 1 4 1 5 2 8.5 2 

01077 Silver, total, μg/L as Ag 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 

01080 Strontium, dissolved, μg/L as Sr 2 42 1 39 1 24 2 48 2 

01092 Zinc, total, μg/L as Zn 2 20 1 10 1 10 2 20 2 01095 Antimony, dissolved, μg/L as Sb 1 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 1 

01105 Aluminum, total, μg/L as Al 2 20 2 25 1 110 2 20 2 

01147 Selenium, total, μg/L as Se 2 <DL 1 <DL 1 <DL 2 <DL 2 

32210 Chlorophyll a, μg/L, trichromatic uncorrected --- --- --- --- 2 7.37 --- --- 1 70300 Dissolved residue, mg/L at 180°C 3 120 2 120 2 55 3 130 3 70301 Dissolved solids, sum, mg/L 1 120 --- --- --- --- 1 120 1 70507 Orthophosphorus, total, mg/L as P 2 .03 2 .04 2 .02 2 .02 2 71846 Ammonia, dissolved, mg/L 1 .03 --- --- --- --- 1 .03 1 71851 Nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as NO3 --- --- 1 .82 --- --- --- --- --- 

71885 Iron, μg/L as Fe --- --- 1 20 --- --- --- --- --- 

71886 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as PO4 1 .31 1 .31 1 .15 1 .06 1 

71900 Mercury, total, μg/L as Hg 2 .15 1 .2 1 <DL 2 .2 2 74010 Iron, total, mg/L as Fe --- --- --- --- 2 1.5 --- --- 1 82079 Turbidity, lab, NTU --- --- 1 1.5 --- --- --- --- --- 

Table 7. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the lakes of interest for the St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, W

Parameter 

code Characteristic

Bashaw Lake Big Round Lake Big Sand Lake Clam Lake 

N Mean N Mean N Mean N Mean N 
Table 8 53

Table 8. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the steams of interest for the St. Croix Reservation a

Wisconsin

Parameter

code Characteristic

St. Croix River near 

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station 

05333500)

Loon Creek near

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station

05335010)

Yellow River near 

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station 

05335031)

N Mean N Mean N Mean 

00010 Water temperature, field, °C 189 9.3 1 8 21 12.6 00060 Streamflow, ft3/s 32 1,620 --- --- --- --- 

00061 Streamflow, instantaneous, ft3/s 178 1,700 --- --- 22 363 

00070 Turbidity, JTU 11 2.1 --- --- --- --- 00076 Turbidity, Hach, FTU 9 2.1 --- --- --- --- 00080 Color, platinum cobalt scale 22 34 1 30 --- --- 00095 Specific conductance, μS/cm at 25°C 185 124 1 130 22 157 00300 Oxygen, dissolved, mg/L 80 10.5 --- --- 20 10.3 00400 pH, field 87 7.5 1 7.2 21 7.9 00403 pH, whole water, lab 65 7.6 --- --- 3 7.7 00405 Carbon dioxide, mg/L 77 7.2 --- --- 16 2.1 00410 Alkalinity, total, mg/L as CaCO3 21 54 1 60 11 76 

00440 Bicarbonate, mg/L as HCO3 14 67 1 73 6 95 00445 Carbonate, mg/L as CO3 13 0 1 0 5 0 00452 Carbonate, field, mg/L as CO3 24 3.4 --- --- --- --- 00453 Bicarbonate, field, mg/L as HCO3 53 62 --- --- --- --- 00600 Nitrogen, total, mg/L as N 62 .52 --- --- 21 .76 00605 Nitrogen, organic, mg/L as N 53 .36 --- --- 20 .55 00608 Nitrogen, ammonia, dissolved, mg/L as N 55 .03 --- --- 4 .06 00610 Nitrogen, ammonia, total, mg/L as N 28 .04 --- --- 17 .05 00613 Nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved, mg/L as N 55 .01 --- --- 4 .02 00615 Nitrogen, nitrite, total, mg/L as N 28 .01 --- --- 17 .01 00620 Nitrogen, nitrate, total, mg/L as N 20 .11 --- --- 13 .15 00623 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, dissolved, mg/L 55 .28 --- --- 4 .38 00625 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, total, mg/L as N 84 .38 --- --- 21 .59 00630 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, total, mg/L as N 28 .12 --- --- 17 .16 00631 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N 55 .11 --- --- 4 .23 00650 Phosphate, total, mg/L as PO4 1 .09 --- --- 1 .09 

00665 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as P 84 .02 --- --- 22 .06 

Table 8. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the steams of interest for the St. Croix Reservation a

Wisconsin

[N, number; ---, no data; <DL, less than the detection limit; °C, degrees Celsius; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; JTU, Jackson turbidity unit; FTU, formazin turbidit

microsiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; MF, membrane filter; mL, milliliter; mm, millimeter; pCi/L, picocuries per 
54 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin 00666 Phosphorus, dissolved, mg/L as P 81 .02 --- --- 18 .02 

00671 Phosphorus, dissolved orthophosphate, mg/L as P 55 .01 --- --- 4 .02 00680 Carbon, organic, total, mg/L as C 16 8.8 --- --- 16 6.1 00681 Carbon, organic, dissolved, mg/L as C 54 7 --- --- --- --- 00689 Carbon, organic, suspended, mg/L as C 54 .46 --- --- --- --- 00720 Cyanide, total, mg/L as Cn 8 .004 --- --- --- --- 00900 Hardness, total, mg/L as CaCO3 86 57 1 67 --- --- 

00902 Hardness, noncarbonate, mg/L as CaCO3 24 4.2 1 7 --- --- 00915 Calcium, dissolved, mg/L as Ca 85 16 1 19 --- --- 00925 Magnesium, dissolved, mg/L as Mg 85 4.3 1 4.7 --- --- 00930 Sodium, dissolved, mg/L as Na 84 2.3 1 1.8 --- --- 00931 Sodium adsorption ratio 84 .11 1 .1 --- --- 00932 Sodium, percent 84 8 1 5 --- --- 00935 Potassium, dissolved, mg/L as K 84 .62 1 .6 --- --- 00940 Chloride, dissolved, mg/L as Cl 87 2.2 1 1 17 2.1 00945 Sulfate, dissolved, mg/L as SO4 87 3.9 1 7.6 --- --- 00950 Fluoride, dissolved, mg/L as F 85 .1 1 .1 --- --- 00955 Silica, dissolved, mg/L as SiO2 84 12 1 16 --- --- 01002 Arsenic, total, μg/L as As 9 1.2 --- --- --- --- 01007 Barium, total, μg/L as Ba 4 88 --- --- --- --- 01012 Beryllium, total, μg/L as Be 1 <DL --- --- --- --- 01022 Boron, total, μg/L as B 8 27 --- --- --- --- 01027 Cadmium, total, μg/L as Cd 9 1.4 --- --- --- --- 

01034 Chromium, total, μg/L as Cr 9 17 --- --- --- --- 01037 Cobalt, total, μg/L as Co 9 1.1 --- --- --- --- 01042 Copper, total, μg/L as Cu 8 4.9 --- --- --- --- 

01044 Iron, suspended, μg/L as Fe --- --- --- --- --- --- 01045 Iron, total, μg/L as Fe 8 380 --- --- --- --- 

01046 Iron, dissolved, μg/L as Fe 67 240 --- --- --- --- 01051 Lead, total, μg/L as Pb 9 9.3 --- --- --- --- 01054 Manganese, suspended, μg/L as Mn --- --- --- --- --- --- 

Table 8. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the steams of interest for the St. Croix Reservation a

Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic

St. Croix River near 

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station 

05333500)

Loon Creek near

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station

05335010)

Yellow River near 

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station 

05335031)

N Mean N Mean N Mean 
Table 8 55

01055 Manganese, total, μg/L as Mn 9 38 --- --- --- --- 01056 Manganese, dissolved, μg/L as Mn 67 14 --- --- --- --- 01062 Molybdenum, total, μg/L as Mo --- --- --- --- --- --- 

01067 Nickel, total, μg/L as Ni 9 4.7 --- --- --- --- 

01077 Silver, total, μg/L as Ag 8 .38 --- --- --- --- 

01080 Strontium, dissolved, μg/L as Sr --- --- --- --- --- --- 01092 Zinc, total, μg/L as Zn 9 16 --- --- --- --- 

01105 Aluminum, total, μg/L as Al --- --- --- --- --- --- 01147 Selenium, total, μg/L as Se 9 .9 --- --- --- --- 

31616 Fecal coliform, MF M-FC broth, colonies/100 mL 4 8 --- --- 22 21 31625 Fecal coliform, MF M-FC agar, 0.7 mm, colonies/100 mL 24 35 --- --- 14 28 31673 Fecal streptococci, MF KF agar, colonies/100 mL 24 180 --- --- 14 1,080 31679 Fecal streptococci, MF M-Ent agar, colonies/100 mL 4 57 --- --- 3 360 39086 Alkalinity, total filtered, incremental, mg/L as CaCO3 53 51 --- --- --- --- 

70300 Dissolved residue, mg/L at 180°C 86 86 1 91 --- --- 70301 Dissolved solids, sum, mg/L 83 73 1 87 --- --- 70302 Dissolved solids, tons per day 83 370 --- --- --- --- 70303 Dissolved solids, tons per acre-ft 84 .12 1 .12 --- --- 70331 Suspended sediment, percent <0.062 mm 50 67 --- --- 20 64 70507 Orthophosphorus, total, mg/L as P --- --- --- --- --- --- 71845 Ammonia, total, mg/L 26 .05 --- --- 17 .06 71846 Ammonia, dissolved, mg/L 28 .04 --- --- --- --- 71851 Nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as NO3 12 .57 1 .7 --- --- 71883 Manganese, elemental, μg/L as Mn --- --- 1 100 --- --- 71885 Iron, μg/L as Fe 1 270 1 350 --- --- 71886 Phosphorus, total, mg/L as PO4 14 .09 1 .05 11 .13 71887 Nitrogen, total, mg/L as NO3 24 2.4 --- --- 17 3.4 71900 Mercury, total, μg/L as Hg 9 .44 --- --- --- --- 

80154 Suspended sediment, mg/L 85 10 --- --- 22 4.2 80155 Suspended sediment, discharge, tons per day 84 61 --- --- 22 4.2 82068 Potassium-40, dissolved, pCi/L as K-40 3 .7 --- --- --- --- 

Table 8. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from the steams of interest for the St. Croix Reservation a

Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic

St. Croix River near 

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station 

05333500)

Loon Creek near

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station

05335010)

Yellow River near 

Danbury, Wis.

(USGS station 

05335031)

N Mean N Mean N Mean 
56 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin Table 9. Characteristics and description of ground-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin Literature citation Characteristics Description

Water quality

Water use

Geology/aquifer

characteristics

Flow direction

Modeling

Other

Andrews and others (1995) X X X Regional study of the Upper Mississippi River Valley area. Shows th

ground water and human factors including land use, population ditions, and volatile organic-compound (VOC) release areas. IncludRiver Basin that shows low levels of trihalomethane and VOCs foReservation.

Andrews and others (1996) X X Regional study of the Upper Mississippi River Valley area. Contains 

icial and bedrock geology, and water-quality for the study area. Reences relevant to the study area.

Bell and Hindall (1975) X X X X Local study of Rice Lake - Eau Claire area. Rice Lake, Menominee a

ied in terms of thickness, transmissivity, water yielding capability, quality, and lithology. Soil conditions and water availability discustural implications. The Rice Lake subarea is adjacent to the easterWatershed and reaches of the Yellow River appear in geology and 

Bridson (1997a) X Local study of ground-water quality for Burnett County, which inclu

Report includes maps of nitrate, chloride, alkalinity, ferrous iron coelectrical conductivity measurements from numerous wells. 

Bridson (1997b) X Local study of ground-water quality for Polk County, which include

Report includes maps of nitrate, chloride, alkalinity, ferrous iron coelectrical conductivity measurements from numerous wells.

DeWild and Krohelski (1995) X Regional study summarizing 29 ground-water samples and 29 soil-g

analyzed for radon-222 from Reservations in Wisconsin. At two stion, ground-water concentrations of radon range from 440 to 530 trations range from 240 to 1,390 pCi/L.

Engel and Nichols (1991) X Local study of the Rice Lake system. Relates ground-water flow to s

sonal water budgets. Biomass analysis has been conducted around of the limits to growth. This area is adjacent to the St. Croix Resermay be useful as examples of biota growth in the surrounding area

Erickson and Cotter (1983) X Statewide summary of trends in ground-water levels in Wisconsin. In

several wells in the study area.

Fallon and others (1997) X X X Regional study of pesticides in streams, streambed sediment, and gro

sissippi River Basin. Ground-water parts of the report focus on phfers with connections to surface-water contamination from pestici

Table 9. Characteristics and description of ground-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin[X, study includes description of these characteristics relevant to Reservation and vicinity]
Table 9 57

Hanson (1998) X X X Regional study of the Upper Mississippi River Basin and its suscept

groundwater. Water-quality data includes pesticide and nitrate. Fouse and water quality. Shows that the St. Croix Reservation and vsusceptibility to ground-water contamination. 

Holmstrom and others (1990–99) X X Statewide summaries of water levels and water-quality for USGS-m

in Wisconsin for water years 1989 through 1998.

Horsley and Witten, Inc. (1999) X X X X X Local study of the St. Croix Reservation. Includes descriptions of hy

summary of water quality for the public-supply wells of the Reserhead delineations for the public-supply wells.

Johnson (1986) X Local study of the Pleistocene geology of Barron County. Includes a 

Geomorphic feature overview includes the locations of glacial dephole logs provide information on strata and soil types. Drill holes side of the Sand Lake Watershed.

Johnson and others (1999) X X Regional study of Glacial Lake Lind deposits in northwestern Wisco

clay deposits and other stratigraphic layers in the vicinity of the St

Kammerer (1981) X X X Statewide summary of ground-water-quality data from the USGS WA

aquifer systems are evaluated in terms of the concentrations of inorin water samples. Includes only general information for the study 

Kammerer (1984) X X X Statewide summary of water-quality data from the USGS WATSTOR

ground-water province. Constituents include major ions, dissolved and nitrate. Also contains information from wells in the vicinity of several maps showing potential sources of ground-water contamin

Kammerer (1995) X X X X Statewide summary of shallow ground-water flow and quality data fr

data base, presented as contoured concentration maps. Constituentsolved solids, sulfide, fluoride, iron, manganese, and nitrate. Incluin the vicinity of the Reservation.

Kammerer and others (1998) X X X Statewide summary of geology, ground-water flow, and dissolved so

hydrogeologic sections through Wisconsin aquifers. Two of the se

Krabbenhoft and Krohelski 

(1992)

X Local summary of the water quality, lake sediment, and lake-level flu

Reservation. Ground-water-quality measurements include hardnesnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, iron, lead, mercury, seleniu

Mudrey and Bradbury (1992) X Statewide summary of trace-constituent data in ground water that wa

U.S. Department of Energy NURE program. Includes 14 wells nesummarizes statistics and maps for 34 trace constituents and field solved oxygen, alkalinity, and specific conductance.

Muldoon and Dahl (1998) X Local study of Burnett County water-table elevations. Map includes 

Table 9. Characteristics and description of ground-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Literature citation

Characteristics

Description

Water quality

Water use

Geology/aquifer

characteristics

Flow direction

Modeling

Other
58 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin Muldoon and others (1990) X X Regional study focused on natural occurrence of phosphorus in geolo

water and possible effects on lake water quality. Includes informaof interest to the Tribe. Olcott (1992) X X X X Regional summary of aquifer systems in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesotamaps of geology, aquifers, aquifer characteristics, water quality, anconsiderable detail in the vicinity of the study area for some inform

Patterson and Zaporozec (1987) X Statewide analysis of water-level fluctuations in Wisconsin wells. In

study area. Rose (1993) X X X Local study of Balsam Lake in northwestern Wisconsin. Ground-watdient were analyzed from 11 piezometers placed in ground-water Balsam Lake is adjacent to the Big Round Lake watershed in Polk ful as an example of how to monitor water quality in a similar geo

Schmidt and Kessler (1987) X X Statewide map of ground-water-contamination susceptibility in Wisc

make the final map is also presented, including depth to bedrock, btable and soil-characteristic maps. Shows considerable detail for therately to highly susceptible to ground-water contamination. Siegel and others (1995) X X Regional study including Polk County that examines seasonal changof peatlands. Examines the downward hydraulic conductivity of psoil. Deals with water table influence on the specific conductance peatlands detailed in this article are in the vicinity of the St. Croix 

Stark and others (1996) X X Regional summary of water quality for the Upper Mississippi River B

consin. Ground-water data includes physical and chemical measurReport provides general water-quality information for the study ar

Stark and others (1999) X X Regional study of water quality for the Upper Mississippi River Basi

sin. Contains general information on ground-water quality, bedrocthe study area. 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (1992)

X X X Statewide documentation of risk evaluation for the environmental pr

Wisconsin. Water-resources-related problems are described in the rReservation, including industrial, municipal, and nonpoint-source and ground-water contamination; physical degradation of aquatic of toxic substances; and pesticides.

Warzecha and others (1995) X Statistically designed statewide survey of 538 wells in Wisconsin. In

of the Reservation. Most of the wells near the Reservation are belosured constituents, which include nitrate, sulfate, atrazine, arsenic

Table 9. Characteristics and description of ground-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Literature citation

Characteristics

Description

Water quality

Water use

Geology/aquifer

characteristics

Flow direction

Modeling

Other
Table 9 59

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1972)

X Regional study of water-quality standards in the St. Croix River Vall

trol requirements. Has little quantitative data, but provides general of the study area.

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1975)

X X Regional study of the water quality in the St. Croix River Basin. Prov

in and around the St. Croix Reservation.

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1982)

X X X Regional study of St. Croix River Basin that focuses on the treatmen

point and nonpoint sources of pollutions. Regulatory actions are licosts of implementation. Could be a relevant source of information regulations in the vicinity of the reservation.

Wisconsin Department of Natural 

Resources (1984)

X X Regional study of the St. Croix River Basin focusing on point and no

Pollution sources are identified as the causes of water-quality probstudy area are identified for future monitoring.

Wisconsin Nonpoint Source 

Water Pollution Abatement Program (1993a)

X X Local study of the Yellow River Watershed in Barron County in the v

ervation. Survey of watershed includes land-use management, agrinonpoint pollution, water-supply locations, and water-quality charmon ions. Provides goals for future land-use practices that may be Tribe.

Wisconsin Nonpoint Source 

Water Pollution Abatement Program (1993b)

X X Local study of the Yellow River Watershed in Barron County in the v

ervation. This report focuses on the cost aspects of the study.

Wisconsin Nonpoint Source 

Water Pollution Abatement Program (1995)

X X Local study of the Balsam Branch watershed which is adjacent to the 

shed. Survey of watershed includes point and nonpoint pollution stions, and water-quality characteristics such as common ions. Listpractices that may be relevant to the St. Croix Tribe.

Young and Hindall (1973) X X X X Regional summary of the water resources of the St. Croix River Basin

surface- and ground-water information relevent to the study area athe physical setting. Ground-water information includes geology, ayields, and water quality.

Zaporozec (1986) X X X Local study of Barron County ground-water quality, which includes p

shed. Water-quality measurements are summarized by town by mealso includes descriptions of geology and ground-water availabilit

Zaporozec (1987) X X X Local atlas of ground-water resources and geology of Barron County

soils, ground-water levels, water quality, and potential sources of gcounty study includes part of the Sand Lake Watershed in the sout

Table 9. Characteristics and description of ground-water studies, St. Croix Reservation and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Literature citation

Characteristics

Description

Water quality

Water use

Geology/aquifer

characteristics

Flow direction

Modeling

Other
60 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

Table 10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity, Wisconsin

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max

00010 Water temperature, field, °C 92 6 52

00080 Color, platinum cobalt scale 16 0 5

00095 Specific conductance, μS/cm at 25°C 62 31 620

00300 Oxygen, dissolved, mg/L 11 1.7 10.1

00400 pH, field 72 6 8.4

00403 pH, lab 42 6.5 8.3

00410 Alkalinity, total, mg/L as CaCO3 67 31 220

00405 Carbon dioxide, mg/L as CO2 2 5.7 8.8

00440 Bicarbonate, mg/L as HCO3 27 23 250

00445 Carbonate, mg/L as CO3 24 <DL 2

00500 Residue, total, mg/L 10 110 300

00607 Nitrogen, organic, dissolved, mg/L as N 5 <DL .03

00608 Nitrogen, ammonia, dissolved, mg/L as N 7 <DL .18

00613 Nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved, mg/L as N 40 <DL .49

00615 Nitrogen, nitrite, total, mg/L as N 61 <DL .8

00618 Nitrogen, nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N 77 <DL 8.4

00620 Nitrogen, nitrate, total, mg/L as N 56 <DL 9.2

00623 Nitrogen, kjeldahl, dissolved, mg/L as N 5 <DL <DL

00630 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, total, mg/L as N 362 <DL 22

00631 Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as N 48 <DL 6.6

00660 Phosphorus, dissolved orthophosphate, mg/L as PO4 3 .06 .13

00681 Carbon, organic, dissolved, mg/L as C 18 <DL 6.9

00720 Cyanide, total, mg/L 29 <DL <DL

00900 Hardness, total, mg/L as CaCO3 56 28 200

00902 Hardness, noncarbonate, mg/L as CaCO3 42 <DL 91

00915 Calcium, dissolved, mg/L 56 6.5 59

00916 Calcium, total, mg/L as Ca 26 9.1 75

00925 Magnesium, dissolved, mg/L as Mg 55 2.9 20

00927 Magnesium, total, mg/L as Mg 27 <DL 22

00929 Sodium, total, mg/L as Na 38 2 27

00930 Sodium, dissolved, mg/L as Na 20 2 49

00931 Sodium adsorption ratio 9 .1 .7

00932 Sodium, percent 9 3 23

00935 Potassium, dissolved, mg/L as K 11 .5 2

00937 Potassium, total, mg/L as K 4 .3 1.2

00940 Chloride, dissolved, mg/L as Cl 65 <DL 73

00945 Sulfate, dissolved, mg/L as SO4 69 <DL 55

00946 Sulfate, total, mg/L as SO4 15 <DL 8

00950 Fluoride, dissolved, mg/L as F 47 <DL 1

00951 Fluoride, total, mg/L as F 22 <DL 1.1

00955 Silica, dissolved, mg/L 11 14 31

00956 Silica, total, mg/L 4 13 15

01000 Arsenic, dissolved, μg/L as As 5 <DL 2

Table 10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity, Wisconsin

[N, number of samples; Min, minimum value; Max, maximum value; <DL, less than detection limit; °C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microsiemens 

per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; pCi/L, picocuries per liter; MPN, most probable number; MUG, 

4-methylumbelliferyl-D-galactopyranoside; ONPG, ortho-nitrophenyl-B-galactoside]
Table 10 61

01002 Arsenic, total, μg/L 25 <DL 14

01007 Barium, total, μg/L as Ba 44 <DL 190

01012 Beryllium, total, μg/L 25 <DL 1

01020 Boron, dissolved, mg/L as B 5 <DL 110

01022 Boron, total, mg/L as B 14 <DL 32

01025 Cadmium, dissolved, μg/L as Cd 14 <DL 3

01027 Cadmium, total, μg/L 32 <DL 2

01030 Chromium, dissolved, μg/L as Cr 2 <DL <DL

01034 Chromium, total, μg/L 55 <DL 20

01035 Cobalt, dissolved, μg/L as Co 5 <DL <DL

01037 Cobalt, total, μg/L as Co 14 <DL 13

01040 Copper, dissolved, μg/L as Cu 5 <DL <DL

01042 Copper, total, μg/L 46 <DL 1,500

01044 Iron, suspended, μg/L 4 140 640

01045 Iron, total, μg/L 43 <DL 3,900

01046 Iron, dissolved, mg/L as Fe 9 <DL 9,400

01049 Lead, dissolved, μg/L as Pb 5 <DL 6

01051 Lead, total, μg/L as Pb 34 <DL 27

01055 Manganese, total, μg/L as Mn 52 <DL 2,700

01056 Manganese, dissolved, μg/L as Mn 9 <DL 540

01059 Thallium, total, μg/L as Tl 24 <DL <DL

01062 Molybdenum, total, μg/L as Mo 14 <DL 7

01067 Nickel, total, μg/L as Ni 25 <DL 4

01075 Silver, dissolved, μg/L as Ag 5 <DL <DL

01077 Silver, total, μg/L as Ag 18 <DL 2

01082 Strontium, total, μg/L as Sr 4 19 44

01087 Vanadium, total, μg/L as V 14 <DL <DL

01090 Zinc, dissolved, μg/L as Zn 5 20 3,200

01092 Zinc, total, μg/L as Zn 43 <DL 4,400

01097 Antimony, total, μg/L as Sb 11 <DL <DL

01105 Aluminum, total, μg/L as Al 16 <DL <DL

01132 Lithium, total, μg/L as Li 14 <DL 6

01145 Selenium, dissolved, μg/L as Se 5 <DL <DL

01147 Selenium, total, μg/L as Se 58 <DL 10

01162 Zirconium, total, μg/L as Zr 14 <DL <DL

01189 Scandium, total, μg/L as Sc 14 <DL <DL

01203 Yttrium, total, μg/L as Y 14 <DL 1

01239 Niobium, total, μg/L as Nb 14 <DL 4

11501 Radium 228, total, pCi/L as radium 228 1 4.3 4.3

22705 Uranium, total, μg/L 14 <DL .73

31508 Coliform, total, 5 tube MPN 198 0 5

31855 Bacteria, sulfate reducing 1 <DL <DL

32101 Bromodichloromethane, total, μg/L 118 <DL <DL

32102 Carbon tetrachloride, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

Table 10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
62 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

32104 Bromoform, total, μg/L 118 <DL <DL

32105 Dibromochloromethane, total, μg/L 119 <DL <DL

32106 Chloroform, total, μg/L 118 <DL 2.7

32730 Phenols, total, μg/L 5 <DL 3

34010 Toluene, total, μg/L 120 <DL 4.3

34030 Benzene, total, μg/L 117 <DL 2.3

34200 Acenaphthylene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34205 Acenaphthene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34210 Acrolein, total, μg/L 14 <DL <DL

34215 Acrylonitrile, total, μg/L 14 <DL <DL

34220 Anthracene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34225 Asbestos, fibrous, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

34230 Benzo[b]fluoranthene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34242 Benzo[k]fluoranthene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34247 Benzo[a]pyrene, total, μg/L 7 <DL <DL

34259 Benzene hexachloride, delta, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

34301 Chlorobenzene, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

34311 Chloroethane, total, μg/L 115 <DL <DL

34320 Chrysene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34351 Endosulfan sulfate, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

34356 Endosulfan, beta, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

34361 Endosulfan, alpha, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

34371 Ethylbenzene, total, μg/L 120 <DL .43

34376 Fluoranthene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34381 Fluorene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34386 Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, total, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

34391 Hexachlorobutadiene, total, μg/L 42 <DL <DL

34396 Hexachloroethane, total, μg/L 22 <DL <DL

34403 Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34413 Bromomethane, total, μg/L 118 <DL <DL

34418 Chloromethane, total, μg/L 49 <DL .11

34423 Dichloromethane, total, μg/L 106 <DL 32

34461 Phenanthrene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34469 Pyrene, total, μg/L 4 <DL .03

34475 Tetrachloroethylene, total, μg/L 124 <DL 58

34488 Trichlorofluoromethane, total, μg/L 89 <DL 240

34496 1,1-Dichloroethane, total, μg/L 118 <DL 2.4

34501 1,1-Dichloroethylene, total, μg/L 120 <DL 8.6

34506 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, total, μg/ 120 <DL 55

34511 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

34516 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, total, μg/L 118 <DL <DL

34521 Benzo[g,h,i]perlyene, total, μg/L 4 <DL .03

34526 Benzo[a]anthracene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34531 1,2-Dichloroethane, total, μg/L 125 <DL 120

34536 1,2-Dichlorobenzene, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

34541 1,2-Dichloropropane, total, μg/L 76 <DL <DL

Table 10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
Table 10 63

34546 1,2-Dichloroethylene, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

34551 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, total, μg/L 104 <DL <DL

34556 Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

34566 1,3-Dichlorobenzene, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

34571 1,4-Dichlorobenzene, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

34576 2-Chloroethyl vinyl ether, total, μg/L 69 <DL <DL

34668 Dichlorodifluoromethane, total, μg/L 20 <DL <DL

34670 Polychorinated biphenyl 1260, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

34671 Polychorinated biphenyl 1016, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

34680 Aldrin, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

34688 Hexachlorobenzene, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

34696 Naphthalene, total, μg/L 46 <DL <DL

34699 trans-1,3-Dichloropropene, total, μg/L 75 <DL <DL

34704 cis-1,3-Dichloropropene, total, μg/L 75 <DL <DL

34670 Methylene blue active substances, mg/L 9 <DL <DL

38432 Dalapon, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

38437 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane, total, μg/L 56 <DL <DL

38692 Leptothrix, count per mL 3 <DL <DL

38694 Gallionella, count per mL 3 <DL <DL

38695 Crenothrix, count per mL 3 <DL 4,400

38865 Oxamyl, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

38926 Endothall, μg/L 9 <DL <DL

39032 Pentachlorophenol, total, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39033 Atrazine, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39051 Methomyl, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

39053 Aldicarb, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

39055 Simazine, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39175 Vinyl chloride, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

39180 Trichloroethylene, total, μg/L 121 <DL 2.3

39300 p,p’ DDT, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39310 p,p’ DDD, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39320 p,p’ DDE, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39337 alpha-BHC, total, μg/L 4 <DL <DL

39338 beta-BHC, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39340 BHC Gamma (Lindane), μg/L 13 <DL <DL

39348 alpha-Chlordane, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39350 Chlordane, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39356 Dual, μg/L 11 <DL .1

39380 Dieldrin, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39390 Endrin, μg/L 13 <DL <DL

39400 Toxaphene, μg/L 13 <DL <DL

39410 Heptachlor, μg/L 13 <DL <DL

39420 Heptachlor epoxide, μg/L 13 <DL <DL

39480 Methoxychlor, μg/L 13 <DL <DL

39488 PCB-1221, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39492 PCB-1232, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

Table 10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
64 Water-Resources-Related Information for the St. Croix Reservation and Vicinity, Wisconsin

39496 PCB-1242, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39500 PCB-1248, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39504 PCB-1254, total, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

39515 PCB, total, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39516 PCB congeners, total in water, μg/L 2 <DL <DL

39720 Picloram, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39730 2, 4-D, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39760 Silvex, total, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39810 gamma-Chlordane, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

39941 Glyphosate, μg/L 9 <DL <DL

46317 Alachlor, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

46369 Ethylene dibromide, μg/L 2 <DL <DL

46492 Triazine screen, μg/L 19 <DL <DL

70300 Dissolved residue, mg/L at 180°C 56 64 370

70301 Dissolved solids, sum, mg/L 21 57 260

71846 Ammonia, dissolved, mg/L as ammonia 5 <DL .1

71851 Nitrate, dissolved, mg/L as nitrate 23 .2 37

71855 Nitrite, total, mg/L as nitrite 6 .01 .66

71856 Nitrite, dissolved, mg/L as nitrite 5 <DL .1

71875 Hydrogen sulfide, mg/L as H2S 6 <DL <DL

71883 Manganese, elemental, μg/L 22 <DL 360

71885 Iron, μg/L 22 <DL 1,100

71900 Mercury, total, μg/L 46 <DL .5

74010 Iron, total, mg/L as Fe 16 <DL 14

77041 Carbon disulfide, μg/L 69 <DL <DL

77057 Vinyl acetate, μg/L 22 <DL <DL

77093 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, total, μg/L 106 <DL <DL

77103 2-Hexanone, μg/L 22 <DL <DL

77117 Isopropyl ether, μg/L 22 <DL <DL

77128 Styrene, total, μg/L 120 <DL <DL

77135 o-Xylene, μg/L 41 <DL .65

77161 1,2-Dichloropropene, μg/L 44 <DL <DL

77168 1,1-Dichloropropene, μg/L 104 <DL <DL

77170 2,2-Dichloropropane, μg/L 104 <DL <DL

77173 1,3-Dichloropropane, μg/L 104 <DL <DL

77189 Butyl acetate, μg/L 14 <DL <DL

77222 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, total, μg/L 41 <DL <DL

77223 Isopropylbenzene, total, μg/L 56 <DL <DL

77224 n-Propylbenzene, μg/L 39 <DL 4

77226 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, total, μg/L 42 <DL 3.6

77272 1-Chloro-3-Methylbenzene, total, μg/L 7 <DL <DL

77275 o-Chlorotoluene, μg/L 117 <DL <DL

77277 p-Chlorotoluene, μg/L 115 <DL <DL

77297 Bromochloromethane, μg/L 39 <DL <DL

77342 n-Butylbenzene, μg/L 39 <DL <DL

77350 sec-Butylbenzene, μg/L 39 <DL <DL

Table 10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max
Table 10 65

77353 tert-Butylbenzene, μg/L 39 <DL <DL

77356 p-Isopropyltoluene, μg/L 42 <DL <DL

77424 Iodomethane, μg/L 22 <DL <DL

77443 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, total, μg/L 104 <DL <DL

77562 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, total, μg/L 118 <DL <DL

77596 Dibromomethane, μg/L 104 <DL <DL

77613 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, μg/L 39 <DL <DL

77651 1,2-Dibromoethane (EDB), total, μg/L 74 <DL <DL

77700 Carbaryl, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

77860 Butachlor, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

77903 bis-2-Ethylhexyl adipate, total, μg/L 3 <DL <DL

78008 Endrin ketone, μg/L 3 <DL <DL

78032 Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), total, μg/L 39 <DL <DL

78109 Allyl chloride, μg/L 22 <DL <DL

78133 Methyl isobutyl ketone, μg/L 23 <DL <DL

78885 Diquat, μg/L 9 <DL <DL

78922 trans-Nonachlor, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

78923 cis-Nonachlor, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

79724 Xylene, total, μg/L 49 <DL 2.3

81287 Dinoseb, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

81405 Carbofuran, μg/L 12 <DL <DL

81408 Metribuzin, μg/L 7 <DL <DL

81551 Xylene, total, μg/L 47 <DL <DL

81552 Acetone, μg/L 23 <DL <DL

81555 Bromobenzene, total, μg/L 118 <DL <DL

81575 Dichloroiodomethane, μg/L 14 <DL <DL

81577 Diisopropyl ether, μg/L 1 <DL <DL

81595 Methyl ethyl ketone, μg/L 69 <DL <DL

81597 Methyl methacrylate, μg/L 22 <DL <DL

81607 Tetrahydrofuran, μg/L 69 <DL <DL

81611 Trichlortrifluoroethane, total, μg/L 70 <DL 95

82052 Dicamba, total, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

82080 Trihalomethane, total, μg/L 73 <DL 2.7

82303 Radon-222, total, pCi/L 11 73 530

82365 Thorium, dissolved, μg/L as Th 14 <DL 15

82576 Aldicarb sulfoxide, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

82587 Aldicarb sulfone, μg/L 11 <DL <DL

85795 Xylene m/p, total, μg/L 41 <DL 1.6

99060 Coliform, total, ONPG, colonies/100 mL 357 <DL 1

99069 E. coli, MUG, colonies/100 mL 23 <DL 1

99129 ONPG tubes positive 6 0 0

99130 MUG tubes positive 6 0 0

99131 Coliform, total, 10 tube MMO-MUG MPN index/100 mL 6 <DL <DL

99132 E. coli, 10 tube MMO-MUG MPN index/100 mL 6 <DL <DL

Table 10. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for samples from drinking-water wells, St. Croix Reservation 

and vicinity, Wisconsin—Continued

Parameter

code Characteristic N Min Max