Eau Claire County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 3 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
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. 0 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. Altoona Lake (D) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Eau Claire County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Altoona Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
Fishing in Eau Claire County
DNR Reports (1)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Eau Claire County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Lake Altoona spring netting/shocking survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
All Lakes in Eau Claire County
3 lakes · 2 graded, 1 not rated2 graded lakes · 1 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DAltoona LakeEau Claire | D | 3 ft | 99.6 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 25 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | DEau Claire LakeEau Claire | D | 2.8 ft | 88 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 25 ft | ✓ Public |
| NRFairchild PondEau Claire | NR | No recent samples | 30.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
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 Eau Claire 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.