Lafayette County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 2 lakes, measured by Wisconsin DNR
Lafayette County has 2 monitored 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. Every one of those lakes carries recent nutrient and algae readings, so the county-level summary covers the full set rather than a monitored subset. Phosphorus and algae readings vary widely across Lafayette County; the per-lake pages below carry the numbers.
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. Hidden Valley Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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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 lakes ranked on readings
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hidden Valley LakeLafayette | 5.2 ft | 44.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 18 ft | Not recorded |
| 2 | Yellowstone LakeLafayette | 1.3 ft | 156 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 14 ft | ✓ Public |
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Source: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. See data sources.