Milwaukee County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 7 lakes, measured by Wisconsin DNR
Milwaukee County has 7 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. 1 of those lake carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county's readings sit in the middle of the Wisconsin range, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
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. Milwaukee River Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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Quick Answers for Milwaukee County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Milwaukee River Lake — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
All Lakes in Milwaukee County
7 lakes · 1 ranked on readings, 6 without enough sampling1 lake ranked on readings · 6 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee River LakeMilwaukee | 5.2 ft | 54 µg/L | 15 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| Milwaukee Harbor LakeMilwaukee | 8.2 ft | 13 µg/L | 12 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Lakeshore State Park Fish ShockingMilwaukee | 8 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| New Zoo PondMilwaukee | 7.6 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Mallard LakeMilwaukee | 5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 10 ft | Not recorded | |
| Milwaukee River LakeMilwaukee | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Northridge LakeMilwaukee | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
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.