Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin1,070 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Arbor Vitae Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
Big Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 1070 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Big Arbor Vitae Lake. DNR survey details →
Big Arbor Vitae Lake is a 1,070-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 41 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Big Arbor Vitae Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Arbor Vitae Lake covers about 1,100 acres in Vilas County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Big Arbor Vitae Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Big Arbor Vitae Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water41 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,070 acres
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. Big Arbor Vitae Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Arbor Vitae 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 Big Arbor Vitae Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Big Arbor Vitae 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 ft. Phosphorus 24.1 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 24.1µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Big Arbor Vitae Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 14 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Arbor Vitae Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Arbor Vitae Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (169,044 cells/mL) on April 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Big Arbor Vitae Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Arbor Vitae Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1992. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
41 ft
Surface area
1,070 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
15 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
7.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,608 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake - NorthPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Arbor Vitae 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 Big Arbor Vitae 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 Big Arbor Vitae Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Arbor Vitae Lake
- → Big Arbor Vitae Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Big Arbor Vitae Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Big Arbor Vitae Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Big Arbor Vitae 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.33 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Big Arbor Vitae 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: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10008937 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Where is Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Big Arbor Vitae 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 Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 1070 acres.
Is Big Arbor Vitae Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Arbor Vitae Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake has a maximum depth of 41 feet. The lake covers 1070 acres.
What fish are in Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Arbor Vitae Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Big Arbor Vitae Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Big Arbor Vitae Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Arbor Vitae Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Big Arbor Vitae Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Arbor Vitae Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (169,044 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Arbor Vitae Lake - North. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Big Arbor Vitae 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 Big Arbor Vitae 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
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Big Arbor Vitae Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
67 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_WQX67 samples · 2020–2025
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