Watersheds of the Superior Basin

* Rough estimates of watershed division based on proportion.

Land Use

Primarily, the land use in the basin is dominated by forestry and recreation. The counties are largely wooded, with Ashland County about 85 percent forested, Bayfield County 82 percent, Douglas County 77 percent and Iron County 83 percent forested based on 1983 figures. Much of this forest is in national, state or county forest or in large tracts of industrial forest. Only about one-eighth of the land area of Vilas County falls within the basin, primarily in the towns of Presque Isle, Land O' Lakes and Winchester. The Vilas County portion of the basin is dominated by lakes and wetland, with recreation an important activity.

Agriculture also plays a role in the basin, but the cool temperatures and relatively infertile, highly erodible clay soils limit agricultural activities. Most farms are dairy, beef or poultry operations. Figures from 1987 indicate 250 farms in Ashland County, accounting for about 9 percent of the land use; 396 farms in Bayfield County accounting for about 11 percent of land use; 312 farms in Douglas County accounting for 9 percent of land use; and 57 farms in Iron County, accounting for only 3 percent of land use.

Population has generally been on the decline, long-term, in the Wisconsin portion of the Lake Superior basin, and population densities tend to be well below the statewide average of 90.1 per square mile. Ashland County saw a 3 percent population decrease between 1980 and 1990 and has a population density of about 15 people per square mile. Bayfield County is the only portion of the basin that showed an increase in population between the 1980 and 1990 Census, of 1 percent, with a population density of 9.5 per square mile. Douglas County has experienced a 6 percent decline in population. Within the Duluth-Superior metropolitan area, Douglas County posts the highest population density, about 32 per square mile, in the Wisconsin portion of the basin. Iron County experienced a 9 percent decline in population and supports a population density of only 8 persons per square mile. Vilas County overall has experienced an increase, but this may not be represented in the few towns that fall within the basin. Overall population density in Vilas County is 20.3 persons per square mile.

References

How To Use The Stream Tables