Irving Lake vs Oxbow Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Irving Lake and Oxbow Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
A
Irving Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 36.1 ft down.
A
Oxbow Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 26.2 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Irving Lake | Oxbow Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 36.1 ft | 26.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 18.6 µg/L | 15.2 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | - | 44 ft |
| Surface Area | 419 acres | 523 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 4 | 6 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Irving Lake: 36.1 ft, Oxbow Lake: 26.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Irving Lake has fewer fish species than Oxbow Lake.