North Temperate Lakes
US Long-Term Ecological Research Network

Lake Water Level observations for 1036 lakes in Wisconsin, 1900 - 2015

Abstract
This dataset contains the daily lake level observations and other lake attributes in Wisconsin. It covers 1036 lakes including 461 seepage lakes and 575 drainage lakes. It has 342,319 observations. The time span of this dataset is between January 1st, 1900 and December 31st, 2015. The data sources include USGS, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, North Temperate Lakes-Long Term Ecological Research (NTL-LTER), North Lakeland Discovery Center, Waushara County, and City of Shell Lake. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has two data sources: historical lake levels recorded in paper files and a recently-initiated citizen monitoring program. The latter are stored in Wisconsin DNR’s Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS).
The data compilation consists of four major steps. First, data were retrieved from different data sources. Then data from different sources but for the same lakes were tied together using the datum information if possible. The WISCID is used to denote unique data sets by lake and data source. If two data sources could be tied to the same datum, they share a WISCID. Third, three rounds of quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) were conducted. Finally, more attributes such as lake area, lake depth, and lake type were added to the lakes. This data compilation was funded by the Wisconsin Groundwater Joint Solicitation.

Dataset ID
362
Date Range
-
LTER Keywords
Methods
Data were compiled from many sources, each was quality controlled and merged into this dataset. For detailed methods see attached PDF file.
Related Sites
Version Number
4

Geographically paired lake-reservoir dataset derived from the 2007 USA EPA National Lakes Assessment

Abstract
Climate change poses a significant threat to lake and reservoir ecosystems, though the exact nature of these threats may differ between lakes and reservoirs. To assess differences between lakes and reservoirs that may influence their response to climate change, we compared catchment and waterbody attributes of 132 geographically paired lakes and reservoirs from the 2007 United States Environmental Protection Agencys National Lakes Assessment (NLA) dataset. The data include the NLA IDs of each waterbody and their elevation, catchment area, surface area, perimeter, maximum depth, residence time, Secchi disk depth, surface temperature, and bottom temperature. Residence time data was collected from estimates generated by Brooks, J.R., J.J. Gibson, S.J. Birks, M.H. Weber, K.D. Rodecap, J.L. Stoddard. 2014. Stable isotope estimates of evaporation: inflow and water residence time for lakes across the United States as a tool for national lake water quality assessments. Limnology and Oceanography 59(6):2150-2165.
Contact
Dataset ID
326
Date Range
-
Maintenance
completed
Methods
NLA data were obtained from US Environmental Protection Agency National Aquatic Resource Surveys website (https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/data-national-aquatic-resource-surveys). We incorporated the NLAs definition of human-made lakes, lakes that did not exist prior to European settlement and resulted from impoundment, as reservoirs in our analysis. From this database, we identified geographically co-located lake and reservoir pairs. Pairs were defined as lakes and reservoirs within a 50 km radius of one another. We developed pairings using the near proximity analysis tool for Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS 10.1). If more than one lake was found within 50 km of a reservoir, the closest lake was chosen for the analysis. We identified 66 lake-reservoir pairs and for each lake or reservoir, we consolidated its catchment and water body attributes from the NLA data onto our data spreadsheet.
Laboratory and field methods for the NLA data are reported by the US Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/national-lakes-assessment-2007-results). We used the NLA data directly to collect basic geographic and morphometric parameters (elevation, catchment area, lake area, lake perimeter, maximum depth) and physical parameters (Secchi disk depth, turbidity, chlorophyll, surface water temperature, bottom water temperature). Mean residence times were provided by Renée Brooks (pers. communication) and were estimated using stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen as described in Brooks et al. (2014). If more than one parameter was collected for a site, then the average among the values was used in the analysis. From these parameters, we also calculated the ratio of catchment area to surface area (CA:SA) and depth-corrected difference in temperature between the surface and bottom waters.
Related Sites
Version Number
11

North Temperate Lakes LTER: Lake Levels 1981 - current

Abstract
Lake level is measured during the open water season for the seven primary lakes in the Trout Lake area (Allequash, Big Muskellunge, Crystal, Sparkling, and Trout lakes and unnamed lakes 27-02 [Crystal Bog], and 12-15 [Trout Bog]) using Solinst level loggers in stilling wells logging at 30 minute intervals. Lake level elevation is also manually measured several times each season using a survey of benchmarks of known elevation to calibrate the level loggers. Prior to 2017, lake level was measured with staff gauges placed near the shoreline. Staff gauges were read every two weeks as part of LTER routine sampling. Values presented in the database are the water elevation in meters above sea level. Sampling Frequency: before 2017, every two weeks. 2017 to present, every 30 minutes. Number of sites: 7.
Dataset ID
30
Date Range
-
LTER Keywords
Maintenance
ongoing
Metadata Provider
Methods
Methods are described in abstract
Short Name
NTLPH02
Version Number
27
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National Science Foundation | LTER Network | Center for Limnology        

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement #DEB-2025982, NTL LTER (ROR: 04gq8q482). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.