Apple River Flowage Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin604 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Apple River Flowage Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Apple River Flowage Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 78.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 604 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Apple River Flowage Lake. DNR survey details →
Apple River Flowage Lake is a 604-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Apple River Flowage Lake ranks #49 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Apple River Flowage Lake covers about 600 acres in Polk County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Apple River Flowage Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Apple River Flowage Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing4 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Apple River Flowage Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Apple River Flowage 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 Apple River Flowage Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Apple River Flowage Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus 78.5 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 78.5µg/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. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Apple River Flowage Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Apple River Flowage Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Apple River Flowage Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Apple River Flowage Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Apple River Flowage 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. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Apple River Flowage Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Apple River Flowage spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Surface area
604 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
257 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
7.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,056 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Birch StreetPublic
- Apple RiverPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Apple River Flowage Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Apple River Flowage 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 Apple River Flowage Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Apple River Flowage Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 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 Apple River Flowage Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Apple River Flowage Lake
- → Apple River Flowage Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Apple River Flowage Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Apple River Flowage Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Apple River Flowage Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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 (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-15.92 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Apple River Flowage Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Amery (completed 1888), built primarily for recreation on the Apple River; gravity-type dam, 13 ft tall and 190 ft long.
- Surface area
- 639 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 134 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City Of Amery
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00172 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.97 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Apple River Flowage Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005025 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Apple River Flowage Lake
Where is Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage 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 Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 78.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 604 acres.
Is Apple River Flowage Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Apple River Flowage Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in October, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 604 acres.
What fish are in Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Fish species found in Apple River Flowage Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Apple River Flowage Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Apple River Flowage Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Apple River Flowage 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.
Are there boat ramps on Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Birch Street, Apple River. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Apple River Flowage Lake?
- Apple River Flowage 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.
Explore Apple River Flowage Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
26 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_WQX26 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity in Water
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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