Birch Lake
Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 506 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Birch Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 6.5 ft
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 506 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Birch Lake is a 506-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Birch Lake ranks #14 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)
Murky, only visible to about 6.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 16.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Birch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Birch 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 Birch Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Birch Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (319,154 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Birch Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Birch 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 1997. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Birch 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).
- 2025Yellow Birch Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 506 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Birch LakePublic
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 Birch 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 | +0.066 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.01 µg/L/yr | 7 |
County Ranking
Ranked #14 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Birch Lake
Where is Birch Lake?
- Birch 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 Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 506 acres.
Is Birch Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Birch Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 506 acres.
What fish are in Birch Lake?
- Fish species found in Birch Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Birch Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Birch Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Birch Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Birch 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.
Does Birch Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Birch Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (319,154 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Birch Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Birch 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
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Birch Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
43 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_WQX43 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
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