Alva Lake
Alva Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 19.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 199 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Alva Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 19.5 ft
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 199 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Alva Lake is a 199-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Alva Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 19.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Alva Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Alva Lake in Oneida 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Alva Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Alva Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Alva Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1989. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Surface Area | 199 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Alva 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 Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.946 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.84 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Alva Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007346 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.37 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 67 lakes in Oneida County
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Alva Lake
Where is Alva Lake?
- Alva Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Alva Lake?
- Alva Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 19.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 199 acres.
Is Alva Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Alva Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Alva Lake?
- Alva Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 199 acres.
What fish are in Alva Lake?
- Fish species found in Alva Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Alva Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Alva Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Alva Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Alva Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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Where this data comes from
72 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX72 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes