Is Lake Wingra Polluted?
Yes — Lake Wingra in Dane County, Wisconsin is on the EPA's Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired-waters list (2024 assessment cycle). It is cited for PCBs. No cleanup plan (TMDL) has been completed yet. "Impaired" is a legal designation, separate from the lake's A–F water-quality grade: it means at least one designated use (such as swimming, aquatic life, or fish consumption) does not meet state standards for the listed pollutant.
EPA 303(d) Listing
| On 303(d) impaired list | Yes |
| Cleanup plan (TMDL) | Not yet written |
| Assessment cycle | 2024 |
| EPA IR category | 5 |
| Location | Dane County, Wisconsin |
Pollutants Cited
- PCBs — Polychlorinated biphenyls are legacy industrial pollutants that persist in sediment and bioaccumulate in fish. Like mercury, PCB listings drive fish-consumption advisories.
Specific parameters in the EPA record: POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS (PCBS).
What this means for using Lake Wingra
Lake Wingra's listing is driven by contaminants that build up in fish (PCBs), so the practical impact is on eating the fish, not on swimming. Follow the state fish-consumption advisory for Wisconsin. An impairment listing does not mean the lake is closed — most impaired lakes remain open for boating and swimming. It means a specific pollutant exceeds a standard for a specific use. Lake Wingra carries an overall water-quality grade of C and phosphorus at 33.8 µg/L — see the full breakdown on the lake report. The official EPA assessment is available in the ATTAINS waterbody report.