Ballard Lake
Ballard Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 503 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 25 ft
- Area
- 503 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Ballard Lake is a 503-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Ballard Lake ranks #44 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 15.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15.4 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Ballard Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ballard 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.
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Water Temperature
Ballard Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Apr (about 47°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 Ballard Lake water temperature breakdown →
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1993. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft |
| Surface Area | 503 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Partridge LakePublic
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Ballard 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.236 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.07 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Ballard 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 WI10003970 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #44 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Ballard Lake
Where is Ballard Lake?
- Ballard 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 Ballard Lake?
- Ballard Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 503 acres.
Is Ballard Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Ballard Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ballard Lake?
- Ballard Lake typically sits around 73°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 Ballard Lake?
- Ballard Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 503 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Ballard Lake?
- Ballard Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Partridge Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ballard 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
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
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Where this data comes from
87 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_WQX87 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