Anvil Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Anvil Lake?

Anvil Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Anvil Lake?

Anvil Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 377 acres.

What fish are in Anvil Lake?

Fish species found in Anvil Lake include Panfish, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Anvil Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

What is the water level at Anvil Lake?

The USGS snapshot on this page for Anvil Lake is 1692.74 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM at gauge 05390500. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.

Are there boat ramps on Anvil Lake?

Anvil Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Anvil Lake, Anvil Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Anvil Lake?

Anvil Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.

Are there campgrounds on Anvil Lake?

Anvil Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Anvil Lake. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.

Anvil Lake

Vilas County, Wisconsin377 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Anvil Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

12 ft

Typical for Wisconsin

Secchi · sampled 2025

Phosphorus

11.8 µg/L

Less phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~71°F

Typical for Aug · EPA WQP

Level

1692.74 ft

USGS · Jul 6 · elevation

Max depth

32 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

377 acres

Surface area

Mesotrophic
2 aquatic invasives
32 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Anvil Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 377 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Anvil Lake. DNR survey details →

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Anvil Lake is a 377-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Smallmouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Anvil Lake ranks #53 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Anvil Lake covers about 380 acres in Vilas County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Anvil Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.

What Anvil Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Clear water12 ft of visibility
Boat launch2 documented ramps
Fishing4 species recorded
Camping1 public campground nearby
Deep water32 ft surveyed max depth

PDF

Anvil Lake Water Quality Summary (2026)

A printable one-page summary for Anvil Lake: clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Low algae

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 Anvil 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Eagle River →

Get alerts for Anvil Lake →

Water quality measurements for Anvil Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Anvil Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 11.8 µg/L. TSI 41.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	12ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	11.8µg/L	Good 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.	41	Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about Anvil Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Current Conditions

1692.74 ft

Water Elevation

USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM from gauge 05390500 (Anvil Lake Near Eagle River, WI). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.

→ Anvil Lake water level: the live USGS gauge reading

Water Temperature

Anvil Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in Jun (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

68°

Jun

72°

Jul

71°

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (72°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Anvil Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Anvil Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Anvil Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 1986. 5 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Good · Deep Seepage lake

Trophic State Index 46 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Walleye(Common)Panfish(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

32 ft

Surface area

377 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

4 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

4.2 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,690 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Campgrounds

Anvil LakePublic
Anvil LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Public campgrounds near Anvil Lake

Anvil Lake0.5 km

Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Anvil Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Anvil Lake in Vilas 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 Anvil Lake

Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Follow Anvil Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Panfish Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike Walleye

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Anvil 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.

Banded Mystery SnailChinese Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedEurasian Water-MilfoilRusty Crayfish

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

Water clarity
Worsening
5 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-0.42 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Vilas County

Upper Ninemile Lake—View →Imogene Lake10 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Dewey Lake—View →Spectacle Lake—View →Spectacle Lake11.5 ft clear—View →Tinsel Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Anvil Lake

Where is Anvil Lake?: Anvil Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Anvil Lake?: Anvil Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 377 acres.
Is Anvil Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Anvil Lake?: Anvil Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Anvil Lake?: Anvil Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 377 acres.
What fish are in Anvil Lake?: Fish species found in Anvil Lake include Panfish, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Anvil Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Anvil Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Anvil Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Anvil Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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.
What is the water level at Anvil Lake?: The USGS snapshot on this page for Anvil Lake is 1692.74 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM at gauge 05390500. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Are there boat ramps on Anvil Lake?: Anvil Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Anvil Lake, Anvil Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Anvil Lake?: Anvil Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Are there campgrounds on Anvil Lake?: Anvil Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Anvil Lake. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.

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Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

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Where this data comes from

36 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX36 samples · 2020–2025

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.