Lafayette County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 2 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
Lafayette County has 2 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. On average, Lafayette County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
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 Hidden Valley Lake (D); the most-stressed is Hidden Valley Lake (D).
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Quick Answers for Lafayette County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Hidden Valley Lake — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (4)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Lafayette County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2023Yellowstone Lake rough fish removal assessment, 2023Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2018Yellowstone Lake comprehensive survey 2018Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2016East Branch Pecatonica River catfish hoop net survey, 2016Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2016 (PDF)
- 2010Yellowstone Lake muskellunge 2010Musky Survey · WI DNR · 2010 (PDF)
All Lakes in Lafayette County
2 lakes2 graded lakes
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DHidden Valley LakeLafayette | D | 5.2 ft | 44.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 18 ft | Not recorded |
| 2 | DYellowstone LakeLafayette | D | 1.3 ft | 156 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 14 ft | ✓ Public |
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 Lafayette 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.