Manitowoc County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 19 lakes, measured by Wisconsin DNR
The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. 16 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. For Manitowoc County the spread behind the average matters more than the average itself: a few nutrient-rich lakes among many clear ones produce the same figure as the inverse.
Many of the county's lakes are deep glacial basins, over 50 feet at their deepest point, which gives them thermal stratification and a buffer against summer warming. Cedar Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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Quick Answers for Manitowoc County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Cedar Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
Fishing in Manitowoc County
DNR Reports (16)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Manitowoc County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Pigeon Lake comprehensive summary survey, 2024Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2023Rockville Flowage spring shocking survey, 2023Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2023Silver Lake comprehensive summary survey, 2023Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2022Cedar Lake comprehensive survey, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2018Shoe Lake electrofishing survey, 2018Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2018Wilke Lake comprehensive survey 2018Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2017Bullhead Lake comprehensive survey 2017Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
- 2017Long Lake comprehensive survey 2017Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
- 2016Cedar Lake comprehensive survey 2016Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2016 (PDF)
- 2015Carstens Lake spring survey 2015Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- 2015East Twin River trout survey 2015Trout Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- 2015Point Creek bass survey 2015Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- 2015Silver Lake comprehensive survey 2015Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- 2015Tuma Lake spring survey 2015Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2015 (PDF)
- 2014Pigeon Lake Comprehensive Survey 2014Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2014 (PDF)
- 2006Manitowoc River Watershed Report, 2006Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2006 (PDF)
All Lakes in Manitowoc County
19 lakes · 16 ranked on readings, 3 without enough sampling16 lakes ranked on readings · 3 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar LakeManitowoc | 10.2 ft | 17.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 21 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | Wilke LakeManitowoc | 7 ft | 17.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 21 ft | ✓ Public |
| 3 | Hartlaub LakeManitowoc | 5 ft | 35.8 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 60 ft | ✓ Public |
| 4 | Horseshoe LakeManitowoc | 6.5 ft | 36.2 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 54 ft | ✓ Public |
| 5 | Spring LakeManitowoc | 8 ft | 19.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 23 ft | ✓ Public |
| 6 | Pigeon LakeManitowoc | 9.3 ft | 15.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 62 ft | ✓ Public |
| 7 | Shoe LakeManitowoc | 7 ft | 26.6 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 34 ft | ✓ Public |
| 8 | English LakeManitowoc | 7.5 ft | 26.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 85 ft | ✓ Public |
| 9 | Tuma LakeManitowoc | 10 ft | 19 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 36 ft | ✓ Public |
| 10 | Kasbaum LakeManitowoc | 9.7 ft | 22.2 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 68 ft | Not recorded |
| 11 | Harpt LakeManitowoc | 3.5 ft | 45.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 54 ft | ✓ Public |
| 12 | Long LakeManitowoc | 1.9 ft | 90.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 38 ft | ✓ Public |
| 13 | Bullhead LakeManitowoc | 4.5 ft | 70.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 40 ft | ✓ Public |
| 14 | Gass LakeManitowoc | 6 ft | 61 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 24 ft | ✓ Public |
| 15 | Weyers LakeManitowoc | 6 ft | 92.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 32 ft | ✓ Public |
| 16 | Carstens LakeManitowoc | 5.2 ft | 89.7 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| Silver LakeManitowoc | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| Little Pigeon LakeManitowoc | No recent samples | 20 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | 14.5 ft | Not recorded | |
| Silver LakeManitowoc | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 43 ft | ✓ Public |
NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.
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Source: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. See data sources.