Eau Claire County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 3 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Eau Claire County has 3 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 grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 1 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
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. Fairchild Pond (C) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Eau Claire County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Fairchild Pond, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (1)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Eau Claire County. browse all reports →
- 2025Lake Altoona spring netting/shocking survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
All Lakes in Eau Claire County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairchild Pond | C | - | - | 30.4 µg/L |
| 2 | Eau Claire Lake | D | 2.8 ft | 25 ft | 88 µg/L |
| 3 | Altoona Lake | F | 3 ft | 25 ft | 99.6 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.