DNR Hopes Water Drawdown Project In Sawyer County Helps Fish Habitats

The habitat of a giant chain of lakes in northern Wisconsin’s Sawyer County is expected to improve after a water drawdown project.

More than 15,000 acres of water on the Chippewa Flowage was drawn down by eight feet this past fall and winter. It’s the first time in about 10 years a significant drawdown has occurred on the lakes which are known for musky and walleye fishing.

Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist Max Wolter says they hope the drawdown will allow the fish a better chance to reproduce naturally.

“In the Chippewa Flowage, we didn’t have to stock walleye for a very very long time, and we didn’t have to do a whole lot of muskie stocking either,” said Wolter. “Now, we’re kind of having to lean on stocking for both of those species, but we hope we can turn things around and get them going on their own a little bit more.”

The drawdown is expected to reduce invasive plant species, especially Eurasian water-milfoil, which has become a nuisance in parts of the Flowage.

The Chippewa Flowage is about 15 miles east of Hayward and is the state’s third largest lake.