Non-Point Source (NPS) Rank

Wisconsin initiated a process to rank watersheds for nonpoint source problems back in the mid-to-late 1980s to identify high priority areas under the state's Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Program. As management of nonpoint source problems has changed, so has the nonpoint source ranking process.

Today, DNR not only ranks watersheds for stream, lakes and groundwater - (high medium or low), every stream and lake in the state will eventually be ranked according to 1) expressed impacts from nonpoint source pollution, and 2) the waterbody's potential response to best management practices (BMPs).

The DNR uses these watershed and waterbody rankings for several purposes: 1) to identify priority areas for best management practice implementation, 2) to help guide funding decisions under nonpoint source related programs, and 3) to convey nonpoint source priority areas to counties for county land and water planning, specifically work tasks and other activities related to BMPs and performance standards implementation. Below is a summary of the narrative criteria used to rank waterbodies for NPS impacts.

RANK_CODE	RANK_DESCRIPTION
High Stream	The stream is likely to respond to BMPs and has one or more of the following a) endangered or threatened species; b) fish population, diversity less than optimal; c) recurring fishkills, d) dissolved oxygen violations, ammonia standard violations, high nitrate levels, toxicity due to pesticides or other NPS toxicants, high levels of suspended solids or an HBI or Family Biotic Index rated poor or very poor. There might be a high rate of streambed sedimentation or accelerated negative physical changes to stream morphology occurring; There is there a predominance of undesirable vegetation (algae or macrophytes);
Medium Stream	The stream may respond to nonpoint source controls and is a threatened ORW or ERW or is considered threatened based upon data.
Low Stream	The lake is not sensitive to phosphorus or sediment and will not likely benefit from BMP implementation. The stream is not threatened.
High Lake	The lake is sensitive to phosphorus and sediment and is likely to response to BMPs
Medium Lake	The lake is moderately sensitive to phosphorus or turbidity but does not have any known sensitive species or is not an ORW/ERW.
Low Lake	A lake receives a low ranking if it is not sensitive to phosphorus and would not benefit from NPS BMPs
Not Ranked	This waterbody is not yet assessed for nonpoint source ranking.

At this time, a limited number of waters are ranked for individual waterbody rankings. These waterbodies can be found by navigating to your area of interest, turning on the NPS datalayer, and then viewing the legend (see at left) or clicking on "identify".

In future years, a greater number or waters will be assessed for their likely response to BMPs and known impacts from polluted runoff related sources.

For further information go to the Runoff Management Grants Program.