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 Swan Lake (A); the most-stressed is Spring Lake (D).
Quick Answers for Columbia County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Swan Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (12)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Columbia County. browse all reports →
- 2025Lake Wisconsin fall shocking survey, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2024Lazy Lake comprehensive fisheries survey, 2024Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2023Lake Wisconsin comprehensive fisheries survey, 2023Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2023Lake Wisconsin/Wisconsin River creel survey, 2023Creel Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2021Baraboo River hoop net survey, 2021Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2021Comprehensive fishery survey of Park Lake, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2018Swan and Spring lakes comprehensive survey 2018Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2017Lake Wisconsin comprehensive survey 2017Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
- 2013Lake Wisconsin/Lower Wisconsin River lake sturgeon 2013Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2013 (PDF)
- 2012Lake Wisconsin comprehensive survey 2012Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2012 (PDF)
- 2011Park Lake comprehensive survey 2011Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2011 (PDF)
- 2011Spring Lake comprehensive survey 2011Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2011 (PDF)
All Lakes in Columbia County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swan Lake | A | 15.6 ft | 82 ft | - |
| 2 | Silver Lake West Basin | A | 30.3 ft | 42 ft | 23.2 µg/L |
| 3 | Silver Lake | B | 29.5 ft | 42 ft | 32.2 µg/L |
| 4 | Lake | C | 8.2 ft | 24 ft | - |
| 5 | Lake Wisconsin Columbia Co. | C | 7.3 ft | 24 ft | - |
| 6 | Lazy Lake | C | 13.1 ft | 8 ft | 269 µg/L |
| 7 | Spring Lake | D | 6.6 ft | 32 ft | 83.3 µg/L |
| 8 | Lake Wisconsin Whalen'S Grade | D | 6.6 ft | 24 ft | - |
| 9 | Park Lake | D | - | - | 82.4 µg/L |
| 10 | Wyona Lake | D | - | 12 ft | 86.1 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.