Adams County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 18 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Adams County's 18 graded lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for Wisconsin. The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. With an average grade of B, Adams County sits comfortably above the Wisconsin median.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Deep Lake (B); the most-stressed is Mason Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for Adams County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Deep Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
Fishing in Adams County
DNR Reports (8)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Adams County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Wolf Lake spring shocking survey, 2025Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2023Petenwell Lake creel survey, 2023Creel Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2023Petenwell Lake flathead catfish survey, 2023Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2022Camelot Lake comprehensive survey, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2022Lake Arrowhead comprehensive survey, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2022Peppermill Lake spring shocking survey, 2022Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2021Big Roche a Cri late spring shocking survey, 2021Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2021Lake Sherwood late spring shocking survey, 2021Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
All Lakes in Adams County
18 lakes18 graded lakes
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BDeep LakeAdams | B | 15.5 ft | 13.2 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 49 ft | Not recorded |
| 2 | BCrooked LakeAdams | B | 9 ft | 16.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 56 ft | ✓ Public |
| 3 | BWolf LakeAdams | B | 15 ft | 12.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 58 ft | ✓ Public |
| 4 | BCamelot LakeAdams | B | 7.6 ft | 18.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 24 ft | ✓ Public |
| 5 | BFawn LakeAdams | B | 9.5 ft | 20.6 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 6 | BJordan LakeAdams | B | 13 ft | 12.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 92 ft | ✓ Public |
| 7 | BMcginnis LakeAdams | B | 7 ft | 20.8 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 28 ft | ✓ Public |
| 8 | BLake SherwoodAdams | B | 5.5 ft | 22.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 27 ft | ✓ Public |
| 9 | BGoose LakeAdams | B | 8 ft | 17.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 18 ft | ✓ Public |
| 10 | BArrowhead LakeAdams | B | 6.5 ft | 20.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 30 ft | ✓ Public |
| 11 | BParker LakeAdams | B | 17 ft | 14.8 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 36 ft | ✓ Public |
| 12 | BArkdale LakeAdams | B | 5 ft | 21.8 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 10.5 ft | ✓ Public |
| 13 | BPatrick LakeAdams | B | 5 ft | 20 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 21 ft | ✓ Public |
| 14 | BBig Roche A Cri LakeAdams | B | 10 ft | 22.9 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 20 ft | ✓ Public |
| 15 | CPeppermill LakeAdams | C | 7.5 ft | 25.9 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 12.5 ft | ✓ Public |
| 16 | CFriendship LakeAdams | C | 4 ft | 31 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 15 ft | ✓ Public |
| 17 | DMason LakeAdams | D | 1.1 ft | 105 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 9 ft | ✓ Public |
| 18 | DEaston LakeAdams | D | 8 ft | 45.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 11 ft | ✓ Public |
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in Wisconsin
See how Adams County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 39 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.