Clear Lake vs Lake Thompson
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Clear Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Lake Thompson. Both are in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
Clear Lake and Lake Thompson are both in Wisconsin — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Clear Lake versus Lake Thompson. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Clear Lake
No clarity data.
Lake Thompson
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Clear Lake | Lake Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | No data | 4 ft |
| Phosphorus | 10.8 µg/L Better | 22.4 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 95 ft Better | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 873 acres | 401 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 6 | 6 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | eutrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Clear Lake and Lake Thompson read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to what you want from the lake. Clear Lake matches its peer on species count.
Stays via Stay22
Where to stay near Clear Lake and Lake Thompson
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Clear Lake and Lake Thompson. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Clear Lake and Lake Thompson
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.