Big Blake Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin208 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Blake Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 14 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Big Blake Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 208 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Big Blake Lake. DNR survey details →
Big Blake Lake is a 208-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 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, Big Blake Lake ranks #55 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Blake Lake covers about 210 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 Big Blake Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Big Blake Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing5 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. Big Blake Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Blake 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 Blake Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Big Blake Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 59.5 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 59.5µg/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. | 64 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Big Blake Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Big Blake Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Blake Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
14 ft
Surface area
208 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,138 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Blake LakePublic
- Big Blake LakePublic
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 Blake Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Blake 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 Big Blake Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Blake 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Blake 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 readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2022–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-11.5 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Big Blake 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 WI10005033 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Big Blake Lake
Where is Big Blake Lake?
- Big Blake 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 Big Blake Lake?
- Big Blake Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 208 acres.
Is Big Blake Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Blake Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Blake Lake?
- Big Blake Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 208 acres.
What fish are in Big Blake Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Blake Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Big Blake Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Blake Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Big Blake Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Blake Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Big Blake Lake?
- Big Blake Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Blake Lake, Big Blake Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Blake Lake?
- Big Blake 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 Big Blake 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 Polk County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX6 samples · 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