Big Mckenzie Lake
Big Mckenzie Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 1129 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky, Northern Pike, and Walleye as abundant on Big Mckenzie Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Max depth
- 71 ft
- Area
- 1,129 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Big Mckenzie Lake is a 1,129-acre mesotrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 71 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Big Mckenzie Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-22. 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 10 ft. Phosphorus level: 16.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Big Mckenzie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Mckenzie Lake in Washburn 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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Wisconsin DNR rates Musky, Northern Pike, and Walleye as abundant on Big Mckenzie Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Mckenzie Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 71 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,129 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big McKenzie Lake - EastPublic
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 Big Mckenzie 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.271 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Big Mckenzie 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 WI10005561 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.88 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 27 lakes in Washburn County
Nearby Lakes in Washburn County
Frequently asked questions about Big Mckenzie Lake
Where is Big Mckenzie Lake?
- Big Mckenzie Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Big Mckenzie Lake?
- Big Mckenzie Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 1129 acres.
Is Big Mckenzie Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Big Mckenzie Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Big Mckenzie Lake?
- Big Mckenzie Lake has a maximum depth of 71 feet. The lake covers 1129 acres.
What fish are in Big Mckenzie Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Mckenzie Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sturgeon. Big Mckenzie Lake is located in Washburn County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Mckenzie Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Musky, Northern Pike, and Walleye as abundant on Big Mckenzie Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Mckenzie Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Big Mckenzie Lake?
- Big Mckenzie Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big McKenzie Lake - East. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Mckenzie Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
57 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_WQX57 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