Apple River Flowage Lake
Apple River Flowage Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 78.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 604 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Apple River Flowage Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 5.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 80°F
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 604 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Apple River Flowage Lake →
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Apple River Flowage Lake is a 604-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Apple River Flowage Lake ranks #49 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 78.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 78.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Apple River Flowage Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Apple River Flowage Lake in Polk 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Apple River Flowage Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Apple River Flowage 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Apple River Flowage Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Apple River Flowage Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Apple River Flowage Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Apple River Flowage Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 1986. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Apple River Flowage Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Apple River Flowage spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 604 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Birch StreetPublic
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Apple River Flowage Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.226 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -15.92 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Apple River Flowage Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Amery (completed 1888), built primarily for recreation on the Apple River; gravity-type dam, 13 ft tall and 190 ft long.
- Surface area
- 639 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 134 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City Of Amery
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00172 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.97 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Apple River Flowage Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005025 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #49 of 55 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Apple River Flowage Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Apple River Flowage Lake
Where is Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 78.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 604 acres.
Is Apple River Flowage Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Apple River Flowage Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 604 acres.
What fish are in Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Fish species found in Apple River Flowage Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Apple River Flowage Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Apple River Flowage Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Apple River Flowage Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Birch Street. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Apple River Flowage Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX26 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity in Water
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