March, 2008
Plan Partners
SawyerCounty
Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
TigerCatLake Association
OspreyLake Association
PLAN CONTENTS
vExecutive Summary
1Chapter 1 - Introduction and Overview
Water History
Management Plan Work Group Development
Plan Process and Citizen Involvement
Plan Goals/Vision
Partner Roles
6Chapter 2 – Resource Concepts and Policies
Water Resources
Water Quality
Hydrology
Aquatic Plants
Fishery Resources
Water Levels
Shoreline Resources
Forests
Aquatic Invasives
Recreation
Cultural Resources
Jurisdiction
Federal
State
Tribal
County
Local Government
18Chapter 3 – Resource Information, Data and Recommendations
Water Resources
Tiger Cat Chain of Lakes Water Quality Data and Recommendations
Round LakeWater Quality Data and Recommendations
OspreyLake Water Quality Data and Recommendations
Hydrology
Tiger Cat Flowage
Round Lake
OspreyLake
Water Levels
Technical Team Recommendations
Consultant Recommendations
PLAN CONTENTS
34Chapter 3 – Resource Information, Data and Recommendations (continued)
Aquatic Plants
Fishery Resources
Shoreline Resources
Forests
Aquatic Invasives
Recreation
Cultural Resources
40Chapter 4 – Summary of Management Recommendations
Water Quality Recommendations
Hydrology Recommendations
Water Level Recommendations
Aquatic Plant Recommendations
Cultural Resource Recommendations
Fishery Recommendations
Shoreline Recommendations
Aquatic Invasive Recommendations
Recreation Recommendations
43Sources
A-1Appendix A – Orders Related to Dams within the Management Plan Area
Tiger Cat, DNR File Number 57.30
Lake Placid, DNR File Number 57.31
Little RoundLake, DNR File Number 57.34
B-1Appendix B – Maps
Round LakeManagement Plan Boundary
Round LakeManagement Topography
Big Round Lake-Northern Map
Big Round Lake-Southern Map
Little Round LakeMap
Osprey LakeMap
C-1Appendix C - Documents
Results of Visioning Session for Stakeholders in the Fishery of RoundLake
in Sawyer County, Wisconsin
Paleoecological Study of RoundLake, SawyerCounty, June 2005
Hydraulic Controls Evaluation, SEH, March 2007
Hydraulic Design Feasibility Analysis, SEH, November 2007
FIGURES
Figure 1RoundLake (Deep Hole) Annual Summer TSI Values, pg. 23
Figure 2RoundLake (Deep Hole) Yearly Avg Summer Secchi Disk 1lues, pg. 23
Figure 3RoundLake (Deep Hole) Annual Avg. Summer Total Phosphorus, pg. 23
Figure 4RoundLake (Deep Hole) Yearly Average Summer Chl-a- Values, pg. 23
Figure 5RoundLake (HintonBay) Annual Summer TSI Values, pg. 23
Figure 6Round Lake (HintonBay) Yearly Avg. Summer Secchi Disk, pg.23
Figure 7RoundLake (HintonBay) Annual Avg. Summer Total Phosphorus, pg. 24
Figure 8RoundLake (HintonBay) Yearly Average Summer Chl-a- Values, pg. 24
Figure 9Round Lake (Richardson’s Bay) Annual Summer TSI Values, pg. 24
Figure 10Round Lake (Richardson’s Bay) Yearly Avg. Summer Secchi Disk, pg. 24
Figure 11Round Lake (Richardson’s Bay) Annual Avg. Summer Total Ph, pg. 24
Figure 12Round Lake (Richardson’s Bay) Yearly Average Summer Chl-a-, pg. 24
Figure 13Little Round LakeAnnual Summer TSI Values, pg. 25
Figure 14Little Round LakeYearly Average Summer Secchi Disk Values, pg. 25
Figure 15Little RoundLake Annual Average Summer Total Phosphorus, pg. 25
Figure 16Little Round LakeYearly Average Summer Chl-a- Values, pg. 25
Figure 17RoundLake 1999 Phosphorus Loading, pg. 25
Figure 18OspreyLakeAnnual Summer TSI Values, pg. 27
Figure 19OspreyLake Yearly Average Summer Secchi Disk Values, pg. 27
Figure 20OspreyLake Annual Average Summer Total Phosphorus Values, pg. 27
Figure 21OspreyLake Yearly Average Summer Chl-a- Values, pg. 27
Figure 22Osprey Lake 2004 Phosphorus Loading (percent), pg. 28
Figure 23RoundLake Estimated Inflow 1998-1999 Water Year, pg. 30
Figure 24RoundLake Estimated Outflow 1998-1999 Water Year, pg. 30
Figure 25OspreyLake Estimated Inflow 2004 Water Year, pg. 31
Figure 26OspreyLake Estimated Outflow 2004 Water Year, pg. 31
1
ROUND LAKE CHAINMANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW
The primary lakes discussed in this plan include: the Tiger Cat Flowage, a 1,911 acre impoundment created by a county-owned dam; Big Round Lake, a 3,054 acre lake known for high water quality and recreation; Little Round Lake, a 230 acre lake that is directly connected to Big Round Lake with a county-owned dam to regulate water levels on Big and Little Round lakes; and Osprey Lake, a 208 acre lake that is mostly located on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation. OspreyLake is relatively undeveloped with a large portion surrounded by wetlands and a natural outlet to LacCourteOreillesLake.
WATER HISTORY
HistoricallyBigRoundLake was connected to Little Round Lake by a wetland area and channel. There was also an outlet from Little Round into OspreyLake (formerly known as SquawLake) and from there to LacCourteOreillesLake by a natural watercourse east of the constructed channel under Carlson Lane (see Appendix B-Maps). As the area became more populated the wetland area between Big and Little Round was filled for construction of Highway B, leaving a small channel between the lakes. The natural outlet from Little Round was also filled for the construction of a private road.
In the 1930’s there was a prolonged drought that depleted lake water levels in the region. In 1937 SawyerCounty requested permission to divert surplus water from the North Fork of the Chippewa River to RoundLake to restorewater levels that had dropped as much as 10 feet below previous levels. Round Lake was considered a premiere lake, vital to tourism and the tax base, and the restoration of normal water levels was a high priority. As a solution, the Tiger Cat dam was designed to create a flowage and raise water levels enabling water to reach RoundLake by diversion canals linking small lakes. Canal No. 1 joined the Tiger Cat Flowage to Burns Lake, Canal No. 2 joined Burns to Placid Lake; Canal No. 3 conducted the water from Placid to a natural depression or slough; and Canal No. 4 connected the slough with Round Lake and included a control dam to regulate the amount of water into Round Lake (Lake Placid Dam – DNR File Number 57.31). The project was completed in 1940 and water levels did return to normal on Big Round. The gates on the Placid Control Dam were closed on October 28, 1940.
Although the control dam remained closed, water levels in Big Round continued to rise. In order to normal water elevations an outlet for Big and Little Round lakes was necessary. In 1942 two 36” culverts were installed at Hwy. B between the lakes and by 1943 an outlet channel from Little Round to OspreyLake was constructed under Carlson Roadwith a dam (DNR File Number 57.34) at the outlet of Little Round. An administratively set normal water elevation of 77.0 feet was established by the Public Service Commission in 1941. During this period the outlet stream from OspreyLake was spanned by a bridge on World’s End Resort Road. In a
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW
1950 correspondencefrom J.C. Cavill, General Superintendent of the Department of the Interior to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, a reference is made to two 24” culverts under World’s End Resort Road. In 1970 this portion of the road was abandoned and reconstructed slightly downstream as part of the new County Highway NN. There are currently two 36” culverts at the stream crossing.
Initial normal elevation of the pond created by the Tiger Cat Dam (DNR File Number 57.30) was 90.0 feet. In 1949 application was made to raise the level to 90.5 to provide better navigation between the various lakes in the Tiger Cat system. During the subsequent Public Service Commission hearing, concerns were raised by individuals on Round and Lac Courte Oreilles lakesand afurther study of how water levels between the three systems were related was requested. The hearing was held open to allow an experimental level of 90.5 to determine effects on other lakes. In June 1950 the Public Service Commission concluded their findings and granted the 90.5 level provided: diversion from Tiger Cat to Round Lake requires permission from the Public Service Commission; the diversion control structure at Lake Placid must be locked; and the partially constructed channel from Little Round to Osprey Lake be kept blocked at the elevation of natural ground level to allow excess water to flow towards Osprey Lake by natural ground contours.
In 1983 SawyerCounty requested permission to raise the authorized level of the Tiger Cat Flowage to 91.34 feet (approximately 10 inches) to again improve navigation. Following a public hearing, the request was approved in 1984 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
There is a long history of complaints regarding water levels on Big Round, Little Round and Osprey lakes. Several agencies including the Public Service Commission, Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Natural Resources have made surveys and reviewed the various orders and historic records pertaining to the water levels. Additional comments regarding water levels within the chain have been made by Tiger Cat Flowage property owners, the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe and the Town of Bass Lake Board of Supervisors. The levels of the various lakes are affected by rainfall, groundwater seepage, and the increased impervious surfaces that are a result of development. There are also multiple control points which affect water levels within the chain. The primary water level control for a specific water body within the chain is dependent on the hydraulic situation.
MANAGEMENT PLANWORK GROUP DEVELOPMENT
On July 1, 2004 SawyerCounty filed a petition with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources requesting a clarification of orders relating to the water level on RoundLake. As
Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW
a result, a work group was formed in May 2005 to begin the process of clarifying the issues, identifying the needs of the resource and developing management recommendations.
The work group included individuals from lake associations, county, tribal and town government, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Members of the work group are:
Tom Aartila, UpperChippewaRiver Basin Supervisor, DNR
Paul Cunningham, Fishery Biologist, DNR
Frank Dallam, Dam Safety, DNR
Carole and Wayne Dannehl, Osprey Lake Property Owner’s Association
Peter David, Wildlife Biologist, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission
Jan Eck, SawyerCountyLand and Water Conservation
Gary Gedart, Sawyer County Highway Commissioner and Town of Hayward Supervisor
Kris Goodwill, Attorney, Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Government
Jim Hausman, Property Owner, RoundLake
Mic Isham, Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board
Tom Jerow, Regional Water Leader, DNR
Dave Kafura, Water Regulation, DNR
Kris Mayberry, CountyClerk, SawyerCounty
Dale Olson, Conservationist, SawyerCounty
Shirley Riedmann, Sawyer CountyBoard of Supervisors
Stan Strainis, TigerCatLakes Property Owners Association and
Town of RoundLakeSupervisor
Kris Tiles, Facilitator, University of Wisconsin-Extension
Dan Tyrolt, Environmental Engineer, Lac Courte Oreilles Conservation Department
Representatives from the RoundLake Property Owners Association
Representatives from Weld, Riley, PrennRicci, S.C., Legal Counsel, SawyerCounty
PLAN PROCESS and CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT
The work group reconvened in December 2005 and met on a monthly basis to clarify the initial issues and develop a format for the management plan. A technical team was established in June 2006 to review the existing information as it relates to RoundLake water levels and to identify data needs. The technical team identified hard points or points of constriction that may impact the flow of water through the lake system (and directly or indirectly impact water levels), reviewed the available Round Lake water level recorded data from numerous sources to better understand historical lake levels, and developed a list of issues or data needs that needed to be considered to understand the lake system hydrology. The technical team also identified two possible scenarios/options for operating the RoundLake system.
Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW
Members of the technical team included:
Tom Aartila, UpperChippewaRiver Basin Supervisor, DNR
Paul Cunningham, Fishery Biologist, DNR
Frank Dallam, Dam Safety, DNR
Dave Kafura, Water Regulation, DNR
Dale Olson, Conservationist, SawyerCounty
Dan Tyrolt, Environmental Engineer, Lac Courte Oreilles Conservation Department
In addition to the work group and technical team, interested members of the public often attended the meetings and were offered the opportunity to comment on the matters discussed.
Members of the group participated in tours by bus and boat to better understand the complexity of the water system.
On June 29 and July 6, 2007the public was invited to attend information meetings which included a presentation on the engineering reports and information gained through the process.Due to concerns regarding maintaining normal water levels during high water and minimum downstream flows during prolonged drought conditions, a hydraulic design feasibility analysis for Little Round Lake Dam was completed and reviewed by the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors on November 13, 2007. The Board approved the following recommendation presented by the work group:
- Request a change in the 1941 PSC order to reflect the natural variations of lake water level.
- Apply for permits to lower the CTH NN culverts to the natural channel with upstream invert elevations of 1340.7 feet and downstream invert elevations of 1340.6 feet.
- Apply for permits to replace the current Little Round Lake Dam structure with the proposed concrete box and upstream control structure described in the SEH Hydraulic Design Feasibility Analysis, November 2007.
- Recommend reserving $175,000 for construction and installation of the Little Round Lake Dam structure designed by SEH.
PLAN GOALS/VISION
Thework group developed the following vision statement to guide the process and establish goals:
To protect and enhance the ecological and cultural characteristics of the
Round Lake chain-of-lakes through sustainable management.
Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW
PARTNER ROLES
Sawyer County has a vital role in the both the development and implementation of the Round Lake Chain Management Plan due to ownership of the Tiger Cat Dam, Lake Placid Dam, and Little Round Lake Dam structures. The dams are permitted by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with required lake level operations. The County’s role and responsibility for ownership of a dam are described in Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 31. In addition, two county highways cross the waterways and may affect various aspects of management of the chain. Additional information regarding the programs and services provided by SawyerCounty can be found at
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resourceshas regulatory oversight on dams, water level orders, and other structures in or near navigable waters. The Department’s role on this planning team is to provide technical support to the group in the fields of resource management and state regulations. Ultimately the Department will have the responsibility of reviewing, seeking public input to the proposed solution and finally, permitting authority for the selected option.
Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) assists its 11 member Ojibwe tribes in the implementation of their off-reservation treaty rights. Member tribes retained the right to hunt, fish and gather plants from lands ceded to the United States, including land ceded in the Treaty of 1837, which encompassed the area under consideration in the Round Lake Chain Management Plan. Additional information on GLIFWC can be found at
Three lake associations are active within the Round Lake Chain. Individuals represented by the Tiger Cat Lake Association, Round Lake Property Owners Association, and the Osprey Lake Association have an important role due to their intimate knowledge of the day-to-day occurrences within the Round Lake Chain.
CHAPTER 2
RESOURCE CONCEPTS and POLICIES
WATER RESOURCES
WATER QUALITY
Goals and standards for surface water quality are adopted at the federal, tribal and state levels. Standards are based on the intended use of the waterbody and then categorized. For instance, a waterbody may be intended to support recreation, irrigation, or meet drinking water standards. At a minimum, all surface waters should support aquatic life. The water resources of the Round Lake Chain Management Area are regulated by an entanglement of Federal, Tribal, and State jurisdiction.
In Wisconsin, much of the regulations pertaining to water quality stems from the Public Trust Doctrine which protects the navigable waters of the State and holds them in trust for everyone. The State also has the capacity to regulate under the guise of its police power preserving the health, safety and welfare of its citizenry. Local governments may also have laws and regulations affecting water quality in this same capacity. Several federal agencies simultaneously maintain authority over navigable waters including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (US FWS). The Lac Courte Oreilles Band also possesses Tribal environmental authority stemming from two interrelated sources. First of all the Tribe possesses inherent sovereign authority to govern its own territory. Even though this right may at times be limited, the Tribe retains substantial authority over matters affecting the health, safety, and welfare of the Tribe and its members. In this capacity the Tribe may legislate to ensure environmental protection to the full limits of their inherent governmental authority. In this capacity the Lac Courte Oreilles Conservation Department closely monitors the water quality of all water bodies located on theLac Courte Oreilles Indian reservation. The Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal government has also adopted ordinances such as the Shoreland Protection Ordinance to further protect water quality on the reservation. Secondly, the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe may exercise powers authorized by Congress. Most of the federal environmental programs have authorized Tribes to assume primacy, or primary regulatory authority of these programs on their reservations. In this capacity the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe can regulate the water quality of the Round Lake Chain Management Area.
The designated useand corresponding standard for a specificsurface wateralso determines the water quality monitoring necessary to make the determination of whether the waterbody can support its intended use. Surface waters that are found to support their intended use(s) are scored as “GOOD” while those that can not meet one or more are scored as “IMPAIRED”. Waters can be further categorized by designating them an Exceptional or Outstanding Resource Waters.