Irving Lake
Irving Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.6 µg/L. Surface area: 419 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Irving Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 11.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Area
- 419 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Irving Lake is a 419-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 7 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Irving Lake ranks #65 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Irving Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Irving Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Irving Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Irving Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Water Temperature
Irving Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Apr (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Irving Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Irving Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Irving Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1998. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 419 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
The available depth estimate for Irving Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- West Star Lake CampgroundPublic
- Irving LakePublic
- Dorothy Dunn LakePublic
- Jean LakePublic
- Ballard LakePublic
- East Star Lake CampgroundPublic
Showing 6 of 7 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Irving Lake
- West Star Lake Campground2.9 km
- East Star Lake Campground3.5 km
Nearest public campgrounds from USGS The National Map, snapped within 5 km. Empty on lakes with no join — this is not a “camping available” claim. Cabins and hotels stay on Stay22; campsite booking is the official link when the source provides one. More camping lakes
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Irving Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.507 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.1 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Irving Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10003971 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #65 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Irving Lake
Where is Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.6 µg/L. Surface area: 419 acres.
Is Irving Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Irving Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Irving Lake?
- The available depth estimate for Irving Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown. The lake covers 419 acres.
What fish are in Irving Lake?
- Fish species found in Irving Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Irving Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Irving Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Irving Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Irving Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake has 7 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include West Star Lake Campground, Irving Lake, Dorothy Dunn Lake, Jean Lake, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including West Star Lake Campground, East Star Lake Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Irving Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
83 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX83 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, snapped within 5 km