Project Area

Management Goals
Goals:
- Maintain Spur Lake and surrounding natural wetland communities in their high quality state.
- Control invasive species as necessary according to WDNR priorities.
- Maintain Spur Lake as an important shallow, muck-bottomed lake for wildlife (game and non-game) resources. If possible, promote the re-establishment of wild rice on the lake.
Objectives:
- Work to improve water flow on the outlet stream (Twin Lakes Creek) in an effort to lower water levels on Spur Lake.
- Remove vegetation on Twin Lakes Creek that is restricting water movement.
- Monitor entire site for invasive species and respond accordingly. High priority species include: purple loosestrife, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, and more.
- Monitor/Manage water levels and aquatic plant communities on Spur Lake.
- Manage other native & non-native species that compete with wild rice (Typha/water lily)
Climate Change Impacts
For this project, the most important anticipated climate change impacts include:
The timing of heavy precipitation can have severe consequences on wild rice growth, such that events may damage or totally diminish an annual crop depending on the timing of the event and the stage of wild rice growth (ex floating leaf stage early summer)
Intense rain, shrinking winters and longer growing season combined with warmer air temperatures may challenge the life cycle requirements of wild rice (primarily affecting germination and seed production)
Warmer temps and higher humidity may increase brown spot fungus affecting wild rice, while also increasing growth of aquatic invasive plant competitors in Spur Lake
Warmer lake water temps may increase algae and aquatic invasive plant growth
Higher magnitude, frequency and duration rain events has the potential to over-burden adjacent infrastructure (roads, culverts)
Higher streamflow and higher lake levels after precipitation events may further impair culverts and increase flood conditions on East Stella Lake Road, posing a hazard for emergency services to neighboring communities
Warmer water temperatures and lower water levels, should they occur, may change the diversity of surrounding wetland communities, potentially increasing risks of peat decomposition that may increase nutrient release and lead to more woody plant species
Boreal tree species present in the uplands may have reduced habitat suitability by end of century given changing climate; these species are also susceptible to regionally present pests
Challenges and Opportunities
Climate change will present challenges and opportunities for accomplishing the management objectives of this project, including:
Challenges
Increased water levels on an already saturated system along with other climate changes challenges the life cycle requirements for a successful crop of wild rice
Increased water levels could compound existing infrastructure issues (difficult location to manage a road sustainably due to rising water levels)
Warmer conditions and longer growing season are likely to increase invasive species on site (aquatic and terrestrial) requiring more intense control efforts
The site already has limited access for boats, so more high flow events will further limit access points needed to manage species competing with wild rice
New invasive species may arrive due to milder winters, warmer and longer growing seasons
Changing seasonal conditions may increase aquatic invasive perennial plants (presenting biotic competition from aggressive/invasive plants), and altered water quality (algae growth, etc)
Competition from aggressive invasive plants and climate issues may challenge wild rice establishment and growth (brown spot disease, humidity, water temperature, storm intensity, etc.)
Maintaining old growth/boreal species management objectives as an old growth area could be difficult as they are vulnerable to increased warming/drought, pests/diseases, and tree root damage with less winter snowpack
Opportunities
Longer growing season may increase wildlife and migratory bird presence, and may eventually increase opportunities for recreation
Increased streamflow could scour the stream channel and improve flow, which is currently difficult to maintain due to dense vegetation within the channel
Longer growing season will increase opportunities to get in the field to control invasive species
As a State Natural Area a large portion of the local watershed is protected from increased development pressures that could influence future runoff and non-point pollution sources and negatively impact water quality at Spur Lake
Opportunities for new and diverse partnerships as we work to restore this system
Adaptation Actions
Project participants used the Adaptation Workbook to develop several adaptation actions for this project, including:
Area/Topic
Approach
Tactics
Watershed-wide
1.1. Consult cultural leaders, key community members, and elders
1.3. Understand the human and landscape history of the community.
3.1. Maintain and revitalize traditional relationships and uses.
3.4. Establish and maintain cultural, environmental education, and youth programs.
1.3. Understand the human and landscape history of the community.
3.1. Maintain and revitalize traditional relationships and uses.
3.4. Establish and maintain cultural, environmental education, and youth programs.
Partner with GLIFWC and local tribes Mole Lake Sakaogon, Lac du Flambeau, Lac Vieux Desert Band rice chiefs to better understand Spur Lake and it's history.
Document historical rice camps / harvest through partnerships with GLIFWC and local tribes.
Adaptation Workshop to bring together communities on this topic.
Spur Lake
2.3: Reduce loading and export of nutrients and other pollutants
3.1: Maintain and enhance wetland structure
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
3.1: Maintain and enhance wetland structure
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
Survey water quality, water levels, plant species, and plant communities to gather baseline knowledge of the site and continue monitoring these variables to understand system response to management actions
3.1: Maintain and enhance wetland structure
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
Monitor and control perennial aquatic plants that may compete with wild rice
3.1: Maintain and enhance wetland structure
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
Monitor for and control aquatic invasive species
3.1: Maintain and enhance wetland structure
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
4.4: Adjust wetland structure and composition to meet functional values
6.3: Incorporate natural or low impact development into designs
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
4.4: Adjust wetland structure and composition to meet functional values
6.3: Incorporate natural or low impact development into designs
Clear snow off of ice to increase ice depth and to suppress competitive perennial species to encourage wild rice growth. Snow clearing can be done across a gradient of ice thickness and water depths, and in areas where wild rice is likely to grow
Collaborate with project partners on a wild rice seedbank study in Spur Lake to determine current wild rice viability in seedbank before suggesting management interventions that may introduce new seed
1.2: Maintain and restore a natural hydrologic regime
1.3 Restore stream channel processes and restore hydrologic function of waterways connected to wetlands.
5.2: Adjust systems to cope with increased water abundance and higher water levels
6.4: Remove infrastructure and readjust system
1.3 Restore stream channel processes and restore hydrologic function of waterways connected to wetlands.
5.2: Adjust systems to cope with increased water abundance and higher water levels
6.4: Remove infrastructure and readjust system
Continue controlling Beaver population and removing dams on Twin Lakes Creek
1.2: Maintain and restore a natural hydrologic regime
1.3 Restore stream channel processes and restore hydrologic function of waterways connected to wetlands.
1.3 Restore stream channel processes and restore hydrologic function of waterways connected to wetlands.
Remove select vegetation along Twin Lakes Creek stream channel and above and below East Stella Lake Road culvert to encourage better streamflow
1.3 Restore stream channel processes and restore hydrologic function of waterways connected to wetlands.
3.1: Maintain and enhance wetland structure
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
5.2: Adjust systems to cope with increased water abundance and higher water levels
6.1: Reinforce infrastructure to meet expected conditions
3.1: Maintain and enhance wetland structure
3.2: Maintain and enhance diversity of plant species and their life histories, ecological niches, morphologies, and phenologies.
5.2: Adjust systems to cope with increased water abundance and higher water levels
6.1: Reinforce infrastructure to meet expected conditions
Work with downstream landowners to install an appropriately-sized culvert or a small bridge (14 - 15' span)
1.2: Maintain and restore a natural hydrologic regime
5.3: Design and manage enhanced and created wetlands to accommodate changes in hydrologic variability.
6.1: Reinforce infrastructure to meet expected conditions
6.2: Reroute or relocate infrastructure, or use temporary structures
5.3: Design and manage enhanced and created wetlands to accommodate changes in hydrologic variability.
6.1: Reinforce infrastructure to meet expected conditions
6.2: Reroute or relocate infrastructure, or use temporary structures
If funding is available, invest in an expert hydrologic study of surface and groundwater flows surrounding Spur Lake
1.2: Maintain and restore a natural hydrologic regime
1.3 Restore stream channel processes and restore hydrologic function of waterways connected to wetlands.
6.2: Reroute or relocate infrastructure, or use temporary structures
1.3 Restore stream channel processes and restore hydrologic function of waterways connected to wetlands.
6.2: Reroute or relocate infrastructure, or use temporary structures
Consider isolating old railroad grade from Twin Lakes Creek to restore functional hydrology
Monitoring
Project participants identified several monitoring items that could help inform future management, including:
Annual plant survey – species composition and relative abundance, community size, floristic quality, and location of species. Evaluate using regional averages and current state standards
Routine water quality monitoring (chlorophyll, phosphorus, temperature, dissolved oxygen and water depth). Evaluate using regional averages and current state standards
Clear snow off of ice in pre-determined locations (transects) for 2-3 years, and measure the ice thickness and duration (ice coring), evaluate observable changes in lake vegetation patterns and presence of rice
Monitor the number of beavers trapped and the location of dams, conduct yearly as needed
Wild rice seedbank study – evaluate presence and viability of native wild rice on-site for 1 year
After removal of vegetation along stream channel, evaluate improved flow in stream and reduced area of vegetation through visual inspection. Use surface water gauge on Spur Lake site to measure changes after rain events
Following infrastructure improvements, evaluate rate of lake level drop after precipitation events, visually inspect frequency of water back up, flowing over top of structure, ad water flow on road
Project Documents
Spur Lake Historic Aerials_1938.pdf
(1.32 MB)
Spur Lake Soil Map.pdf
(788.06 KB)
Spur Lake Topo Map.pdf
(457.34 KB)
Keywords
Flooding
Infrastructure
Wetlands