Arrowhead Lake
Adams County, Wisconsin295 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Arrowhead Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
Arrowhead Lake in Adams County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 295 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Arrowhead Lake. DNR survey details →
Arrowhead Lake is a 295-acre mesotrophic lake in Adams County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Adams County, Arrowhead Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Arrowhead Lake covers about 300 acres in Adams County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Arrowhead Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Arrowhead Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth
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. Arrowhead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Arrowhead 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 Arrowhead Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Arrowhead 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 6.5 ft. Phosphorus 20.7 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20.7µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Arrowhead Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Arrowhead Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Apr (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Arrowhead Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Arrowhead Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Arrowhead Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 2004. 17 stations on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Arrowhead 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).
- 2022Lake Arrowhead comprehensive survey, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Surface area
295 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
63 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
5.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
961 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Arrowhead Lake County ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Arrowhead Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Arrowhead Lake in Adams 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 Arrowhead 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 Arrowhead Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Arrowhead 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 (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.34 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Arrowhead Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Arrowhead (completed 1978), built primarily for recreation on the 14 MILE CREEK; earth-type dam, 34 ft tall and 1,300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 300 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 98.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Adams County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI01028 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Arrowhead Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10025501 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Adams County
Frequently asked questions about Arrowhead Lake
Where is Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake is a lake in Adams County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake in Adams County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 295 acres.
Is Arrowhead Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Arrowhead Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 295 acres.
What fish are in Arrowhead Lake?
- Fish species found in Arrowhead Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Arrowhead Lake is located in Adams County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Arrowhead Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Arrowhead Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Arrowhead Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Arrowhead Lake County Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Arrowhead Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Adams County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
State Parks Near Arrowhead Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
64 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_WQX64 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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