North Lake vs Ocauchee Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Ocauchee Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than North Lake. Both are in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
North Lake and Ocauchee Lake 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, North Lake versus Ocauchee Lake. 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.
North Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft.
Ocauchee Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | North Lake | Ocauchee Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 8 ft Better | 6.6 ft |
| Phosphorus | 17.9 µg/L | 17.5 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 78.4 ft | 90 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 440 acres | 1,210 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Yes |
| Fish Species | 5 | 6 Better |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
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
North Lake and Ocauchee Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (North Lake: 8 ft, Ocauchee Lake: 6.6 ft) and what you want from the lake. North Lake has fewer fish species than Ocauchee Lake.
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Where to stay near North Lake and Ocauchee Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around North Lake and Ocauchee Lake. 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 North Lake and Ocauchee Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.