Dane County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 21 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
There are 21 graded lakes in Dane County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 0 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
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 Lake Waubesa (B); the most-stressed is Rice Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for Dane County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Lake Waubesa, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
Fishing in Dane County
DNR Reports (8)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Dane County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Marshall Millpond shocking survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2023Lake Belle View shocking survey, 2023Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2021Fish Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2016Lake Kegonsa comprehensive survey, 2016Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2016 (PDF)
- 2015Common Carp and the Cherokee Marsh: Population and biomass estimate for Evaluation of management strategies 2015Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- 2015Crystal Lake comprehensive survey, 2015Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- 2015Fish and Mud lakes comprehensive survey, 2015Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- —Lake Mendota gill netting survey, 2020-2024Netting Survey · WI DNR (PDF)
All Lakes in Dane County
21 lakes · 15 graded, 6 not rated15 graded lakes · 6 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLake WaubesaDane | B | 3.2 ft | 36.6 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 38 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | BLake WingraDane | B | 4 ft | 33.8 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 14 ft | ✓ Public |
| 3 | CMeister Addition West PondDane | C | No recent samples | 46.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 4 | DRice LakeDane | D | 1.5 ft | 217 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 8 ft | Not recorded |
| 5 | DIndian LakeDane | D | 0.7 ft | 295 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 6 | DLake KegonsaDane | D | 3.7 ft | 59.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 32 ft | ✓ Public |
| 7 | DOdana PondDane | D | 1 ft | 315.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 5 ft | Not recorded |
| 8 | DLake MononaDane | D | 7 ft | 98.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 9 | DLake MendotaDane | D | 5 ft | 65.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 83 ft | ✓ Public |
| 10 | DInvestment Court PondDane | D | No recent samples | 428 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 11 | DWhalen Road PondDane | D | No recent samples | 66.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 12 | DAmerican Way PondDane | D | No recent samples | 64.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 13 | DSilent Street PondDane | D | No recent samples | 508 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 14 | DPrairie Oaks PondDane | D | No recent samples | 350.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 15 | DCathedral Point PondDane | D | No recent samples | 248 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| NRPrivate PondDane | NR | 2.8 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRTiedman PondDane | NR | 0.4 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| NRSalmo PondDane | NR | 9.2 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 15 ft | Not recorded | |
| NRGateway PondDane | NR | No recent samples | 319.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRHawthorne Hills South PondDane | NR | No recent samples | 191 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRGraber PondDane | NR | No recent samples | 231 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No 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.
Other Counties in Wisconsin
See how Dane 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.