Amacoy Lake
Amacoy Lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 283 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Amacoy Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 283 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Amacoy Lake is a 283-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Rusk County, Amacoy Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-26. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 25.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Amacoy Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Amacoy Lake in Rusk 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.
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Water Temperature
Amacoy Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Amacoy Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Amacoy Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Amacoy Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 283 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Amacoy LakePublic
- Fletcher RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Amacoy 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.081 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.65 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Amacoy Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Amacoy (completed 1967), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the TR CHIPPEWA; earth-type dam, 20 ft tall and 300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 278 ac
- Normal storage
- 600 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Town Of Stubbs
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00422 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Amacoy 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 WI10003999 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Amacoy Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Weyerhaeuser Village OfWeyerhaeuser · 4 mi away · NPDES WI0020761Recent violation
- Bruce Village OfBruce · 4.9 mi away · NPDES WI0060143Recent violation
- Nw Mink Ranch LlcBruce · 3.9 mi away · NPDES WI0062545
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Rusk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Amacoy Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Rusk County
Frequently asked questions about Amacoy Lake
Where is Amacoy Lake?
- Amacoy Lake is a lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Amacoy Lake?
- Amacoy Lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 283 acres.
Is Amacoy Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Amacoy Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Amacoy Lake?
- Amacoy Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Amacoy Lake?
- Amacoy Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 283 acres.
What fish are in Amacoy Lake?
- Fish species found in Amacoy Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Catfish. Amacoy Lake is located in Rusk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Amacoy Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Amacoy Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Amacoy Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Amacoy Lake?
- Amacoy Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Amacoy Lake, Fletcher Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Amacoy Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Rusk County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
41 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX41 samples · 2020–2026
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory