Bone Lake
Bone Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 1667 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bone Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 1,667 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Bone Lake is a 1,667-acre mesotrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 43 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 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Bone Lake ranks #4 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 19.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bone 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Bone 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 Bone Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (183,654 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 Bone Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bone 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 1989. 11 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Bone Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Bone Lake spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- —Bone Lake muskellunge survey, 2024-2025Musky Survey · WI DNR (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,667 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bone 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 | +0.098 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.4 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bone 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 WI10005039 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 55 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Bone Lake
Where is Bone Lake?
- Bone Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bone Lake?
- Bone Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 1667 acres.
Is Bone Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Bone Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Bone Lake?
- Bone Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 1667 acres.
What fish are in Bone Lake?
- Fish species found in Bone Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Bone Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bone Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bone Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bone 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 Bone Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bone Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (183,654 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Bone Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
229 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX229 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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