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LakeQuality
C

Columbia County Lake Quality

Wisconsin, 10 lakes, average grade C (Fair)

Columbia 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. Columbia County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.

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 Silver Lake (B); the most-stressed is Lake (D).

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Quick Answers for Columbia County

Cleanest lakes in Columbia County →Cleanest lakes in Wisconsin →Safest swimming lakes in Wisconsin →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Silver Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.

Fishing in Columbia County

Columbia County Fishing Guide

Fish species and best-graded lakes in Columbia County

DNR Reports (12)

Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Columbia County. browse all reports →

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

All Lakes in Columbia County

10 lakes · 6 graded, 4 not rated6 graded lakes · 4 not rated, hidden

#LakeGradeClarityPhosphorusAlgaeTrophicMax DepthAccess
1BSilver LakeColumbiaB10 ft32.2 µg/LNo recent samplesNo recent samples42 ft✓ Public
2BSilver Lake West BasinColumbiaB8.8 ft23.2 µg/LNo recent samplesNo recent samples42 ft✓ Public
3DLakeColumbiaD2.5 ft92.9 µg/LNo recent samplesNo recent samples24 ft✓ Public
4DSpring LakeColumbiaD2 ft83.3 µg/LNo recent samplesNo recent samples32 ft✓ Public
5DLazy LakeColumbiaD4 ft269 µg/LNo recent samplesNo recent samples8 ft✓ Public
6DWyona LakeColumbiaDNo recent samples86.1 µg/LNo recent samplesNo recent samples12 ft✓ Public
NRLake Wisconsin Whalen'S GradeColumbiaNR2 ftNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples24 ft✓ Public
NRLake Wisconsin Columbia Co.ColumbiaNR2.2 ftNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples24 ft✓ Public
NRSwan LakeColumbiaNR4.8 ftNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples82 ft✓ Public
NRPark LakeColumbiaNRNo recent samples82.4 µg/LNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples✓ Public

NR = not rated: the monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar for a grade. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.

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.

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Other Counties in Wisconsin

Outagamie County

1 lake · Avg grade A

Washington County

15 lakes · Avg grade B

Kenosha County

12 lakes · Avg grade B

Marinette County

22 lakes · Avg grade B

Forest County

34 lakes · Avg grade B

Waushara County

32 lakes · Avg grade B

See how Columbia 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.