Ashland County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 10 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Ashland County has 10 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. The county-wide average lands at B — solid water quality with most lakes carrying clear summer transparency and low-to-moderate phosphorus.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Gates Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Ashland County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Gates Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (6)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Ashland County. browse all reports →
- 2024Beaver Lake late spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024English Lake shocking and netting survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Lake Moquah shocking and netting survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Potter Lake shocking and netting survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Spider Lake shocking and netting survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Spillerberg Lake shocking and netting survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
All Lakes in Ashland County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gates Lake | A | - | 17 ft | 16 µg/L |
| 2 | Tea Lake | A | - | 48 ft | 18.8 µg/L |
| 3 | Nc Cheq Bay Lake | A | - | - | 8.3 µg/L |
| 4 | Lake Galilee | B | 9.3 ft | 23 ft | 16.8 µg/L |
| 5 | Mineral Lake | C | 4.3 ft | 29 ft | 28.2 µg/L |
| 6 | Augustine Lake | D | 4 ft | 10 ft | - |
| 7 | Meder Lake | D | 3.6 ft | 10 ft | - |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.