Banded Mystery Snail
Invasive SpeciesFound in 362 lakes
Banded Mystery Snail appears on state infested-waters lists for 362 surface waters. Boaters and anglers moving gear in or out of those lakes carry a clean-drain-dry obligation under state law. A 362-lake footprint means Banded Mystery Snail prevention has shifted from "stop the spread" to "manage the new normal." Watercraft-inspection programs at boat launches and shoreline-management practices on individual lakes are doing most of the active prevention work.
The presence of Banded Mystery Snail does not directly change a lake's letter grade — the grade measures the water itself, not the species living in it. Invasive presence is still worth reading alongside the grade.
Lakes with Banded Mystery Snail
| Lake | County | State | Grade | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Cedar Lake-North Site-Near West Bend | Washington | WI | A | 105 ft |
| Big Cedar Lake-South Site-Near West Bend | Washington | WI | A | 105 ft |
| Okauchee Lake | Waukesha | WI | A | 90 ft |
| Geneva Lake | Walworth | WI | A | 135 ft |
| Powers Lake | Kenosha | WI | A | 33 ft |
| Lac Courte Oreilles Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | 90 ft |
| Whitefish Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | 105 ft |
| Round Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | 74 ft |
| Sand Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | 50 ft |
| Blueberry Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | 29 ft |
| Grindstone Lake | Sawyer | WI | A | 60 ft |
| Green Lake | Washington | WI | B | 37 ft |
| Boulder Lake | Vilas | WI | B | 23 ft |
| Boulder Lake | Oconto | WI | B | 11 ft |
| Lake Noquebay | Marinette | WI | B | 51 ft |
| Spider Lake | Sawyer | WI | B | 64 ft |
| Spider Lake | Vilas | WI | B | 43 ft |
| Pickerel Lake | Forest | WI | B | 19 ft |
| Pickerel Lake | Oconto | WI | B | 10 ft |
| Silver Lake | Waukesha | WI | B | 40 ft |
| Silver Lake | Waushara | WI | B | 56 ft |
| Silver Lake | Waushara | WI | B | 50 ft |
| Silver Lake | Vilas | WI | B | 19 ft |
| Silver Lake | Forest | WI | B | 20 ft |
| Plum Lake | Vilas | WI | B | 57 ft |
| Round Lake | Shawano | WI | B | 39 ft |
| Cedar Lake | Manitowoc | WI | B | 21 ft |
| Mirror Lake | Waupaca | WI | B | 43 ft |
| Deep Lake | Adams | WI | B | 49 ft |
| Beasley Lake | Waupaca | WI | B | 47 ft |
| Bass Lake | Oconto | WI | B | 40 ft |
| Kusel Lake | Waushara | WI | B | 29 ft |
| Clear Lake | Sawyer | WI | B | 32 ft |
| Explosion Lake | Oconto | WI | B | 10 ft |
| Berry Lake | Oconto | WI | B | 27 ft |
| Pioneer Lake | Vilas | WI | B | 27 ft |
| Rice Lake | Iron | WI | B | 21 ft |
| Bone Lake | Polk | WI | B | 43 ft |
| Marl Lake | Waushara | WI | B | 35 ft |
| Marl Lake | Waupaca | WI | B | 59 ft |
| Lake Lucerne | Forest | WI | B | 73 ft |
| Oxbow Lake | Vilas | WI | B | 44 ft |
| Bear Lake | Barron | WI | B | 87 ft |
| Bear Lake | Waupaca | WI | B | 62 ft |
| Bear Lake | Oconto | WI | B | 20 ft |
| Long Lake | Waupaca | WI | B | 76 ft |
| Long Lake | Burnett | WI | B | 41 ft |
| Long Lake | Fond du Lac | WI | B | 47 ft |
| Long Lake | Waushara | WI | B | 71 ft |
| Long Lake | Chippewa | WI | B | 101 ft |
Showing 50 of 362 infested lakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes have banded mystery snail?
Banded Mystery Snail has been documented in 362 graded lakes: 362 in Wisconsin.
Does banded mystery snail affect water quality?
Invasive species can significantly affect lake ecosystems. They may alter nutrient cycling, displace native species, and change water clarity. Lakes with banded mystery snail should be monitored for changes in water quality over time.
Invasives Found With Banded Mystery Snail
Co-occurs in 199 lakes · 494 total
Co-occurs in 180 lakes · 420 total
Co-occurs in 117 lakes · 247 total
Co-occurs in 102 lakes · 275 total
Co-occurs in 80 lakes · 667 total
Co-occurs in 18 lakes · 95 total
More on invasive species and lake health
Zebra mussel counts from the lakes LakeQuality grades, the counties that show up most often, and the Clean, Drain, Dry rules that still matter.
How lakes are graded A–F on nutrients and algae using EPA ecoregion condition classes, what each letter means in the water, and why an A is not a clearance.
Before you buy lakefront, check the water: clarity trend, nutrient impairment, algae advisories, invasive species, and depth — a data-backed checklist.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.