Alabama Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin132 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Alabama Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 28 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Alabama Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 70.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 132 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Alabama Lake. DNR survey details →
Alabama Lake is a 132-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 28 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Alabama Lake ranks #50 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-09-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Alabama Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Alabama Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Alabama Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Alabama Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 70.8 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 70.8µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Alabama Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Alabama Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Alabama Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
28 ft
Surface area
132 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
938 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Alabama Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Alabama Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Alabama Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Alabama Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Alabama Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2021–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-16.9 µg/L/yr2 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Alabama Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Cushing Sanitary District #1Laketown · 3.4 mi away · NPDES WI0058904
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Alabama Lake
Where is Alabama Lake?
- Alabama Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Alabama Lake?
- Alabama Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 70.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 132 acres.
Is Alabama Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Alabama Lake?
- Alabama Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 132 acres.
What fish are in Alabama Lake?
- Fish species found in Alabama Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Alabama Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Alabama Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Alabama Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Alabama Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Alabama Lake?
- Public access to Alabama Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Alabama Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX13 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes