Ballard Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin503 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Ballard Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Ballard Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 503 acres.
Ballard Lake is a 503-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Ballard Lake ranks #44 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Ballard Lake covers about 500 acres in Vilas County. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Ballard Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Ballard Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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. Ballard Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Ballard 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 Ballard Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Ballard Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus 15.4 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.4µg/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 Ballard Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Ballard Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Apr (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (47°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ballard Lake water temperature breakdown →
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1993. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
503 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,683 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Ballard Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ballard 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 Ballard 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 Ballard Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Ballard 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
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.07 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Ballard 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: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10003970 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Ballard Lake
Where is Ballard Lake?
- Ballard 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 Ballard Lake?
- Ballard Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 503 acres.
Is Ballard Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Ballard Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Ballard Lake?
- Ballard Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ballard Lake?
- Ballard Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 503 acres.
Can I fish at Ballard Lake?
- Public access to Ballard Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Ballard 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 Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
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
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Ballard Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
87 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_WQX87 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