Chinese Mystery Snail: 469 Lakes with Records

Chinese Mystery Snail appears on state infested-waters lists for 469 surface waters. Boaters and anglers moving gear in or out of those lakes carry a clean-drain-dry obligation under state law. A 469-lake footprint means Chinese 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 Chinese Mystery Snail does not change a lake's clarity, phosphorus or algae readings, which measure the water itself, not the species living in it. Invasive presence is still worth reading alongside those numbers.

469

Lakes with records

469

Wisconsin

Lakes with Chinese Mystery Snail

Lake	County	State	Depth
Big Cedar Lake-North Site-Near West Bend	Washington	WI	105 ft
Powers Lake	Kenosha	WI	33 ft
Lac Courte Oreilles Lake	Sawyer	WI	90 ft
Whitefish Lake	Sawyer	WI	105 ft
Big Sand Lake	Burnett	WI	55 ft
Sand Lake	Sawyer	WI	50 ft
Ashegon Lake	Sawyer	WI	56 ft
Koonz Lake	Shawano	WI	40 ft
Gaslyn Lake	Burnett	WI	12 ft
Malone Lake	Shawano	WI	31 ft
Sams Lake	Shawano	WI	13 ft
Mission Lake	Shawano	WI	44 ft
Bealeau Lake	Shawano	WI	24 ft
Mole Lake	Forest	WI	17 ft
Wind Lake	Polk	WI	7 ft
Boulder Lake	Vilas	WI	23 ft
Spider Lake	Vilas	WI	43 ft
Pickerel Lake	Forest	WI	19 ft
Pickerel Lake	Oconto	WI	10 ft
Pickerel Lake	Vilas	WI	26 ft
Carpenter Lake	Vilas	WI	16 ft
Beaver Dam Lake	Barron	WI	106 ft
Silver Lake	Barron	WI	91 ft
Silver Lake	Vilas	WI	19 ft
Silver Lake	Forest	WI	20 ft
Plum Lake	Vilas	WI	57 ft
Whitefish Lake	Oneida	WI	33 ft
Whitefish Lake	Douglas	WI	102 ft
Bass Lake	Oneida	WI	20 ft
Bass Lake	Washburn	WI	31 ft
Bass Lake	Oconto	WI	40 ft
Bass Lake	Barron	WI	14 ft
Bass Lake	Vilas	WI	15 ft
Bass Lake	Lincoln	WI	40 ft
Ashippun Lake	Waukesha	WI	35 ft
Clear Lake	Rusk	WI	74 ft
Clear Lake	Polk	WI	26 ft
Clear Lake	Oneida	WI	95 ft
Pioneer Lake	Vilas	WI	27 ft
Little Spider Lake	Vilas	WI	23 ft
Bone Lake	Polk	WI	43 ft
Indian Lake	Oneida	WI	26 ft
Tom Doyle Lake	Oneida	WI	30 ft
Bear Lake	Oneida	WI	20 ft
Bear Lake	Barron	WI	87 ft
Bear Lake	Waupaca	WI	62 ft
Bear Lake	Oconto	WI	20 ft
Long Lake	Burnett	WI	41 ft
Long Lake	Fond du Lac	WI	47 ft
Long Lake	Lincoln	WI	64 ft

Showing 50 of 469 lakes with a record.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have chinese mystery snail?

Chinese Mystery Snail is recorded in 469 measured lakes: 469 in Wisconsin. 469 of them carry a state infested-waters listing or an established population.

Does chinese mystery snail affect water quality?

An established invasive population can change how a lake works — altering nutrient cycling, displacing native species, and shifting water clarity. Clarity is the one to watch: filter-feeders can make water read clearer on a Secchi disk without any drop in nutrient loading, so a lake with chinese mystery snail is worth reading alongside its clarity number rather than through it.

Invasives Found With Chinese Mystery Snail

Curly-Leaf Pondweed

Co-occurs in 201 lakes · 387 total

Banded Mystery Snail

Co-occurs in 184 lakes · 341 total

Rusty Crayfish

Co-occurs in 148 lakes · 233 total

Purple Loosestrife

Co-occurs in 133 lakes · 242 total

Zebra Mussel

Co-occurs in 60 lakes · 609 total

Starry Stonewort

Co-occurs in 16 lakes · 79 total

More on invasive species and lake health

Zebra Mussel Spread: How Many Lakes Are Affected?

Zebra mussel counts from the lakes LakeQuality tracks, the counties that show up most often, and the Clean, Drain, Dry rules that still matter.

Lake Water Quality Explained: What the Readings Mean

How nutrient and algae readings are read against EPA ecoregion condition classes, what each class means in the water, and why a clean reading is not a clearance.

What to Check Before Buying Lakefront Property

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.