Big Roche A Cri Lake
Adams County, Wisconsin217 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Roche A Cri Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
Big Roche A Cri Lake in Adams County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 217 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Big Roche A Cri Lake. DNR survey details →
Big Roche A Cri Lake is a 217-acre mesotrophic lake in Adams County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 20 feet. 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, Big Roche A Cri Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Roche A Cri Lake covers about 220 acres in Adams County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Big Roche A Cri Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Big Roche A Cri Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Roche A Cri 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 Roche A Cri Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Big Roche A Cri Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 22.9 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22.9µg/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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Big Roche A Cri Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Big Roche A Cri Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Roche A Cri Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 1989. 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 Big Roche A Cri 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).
- 2021Big Roche a Cri late spring shocking survey, 2021Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
20 ft
Surface area
217 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
141 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4.7 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
958 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Roche A Cri 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 Roche A Cri Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Roche A Cri 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 Big Roche A Cri Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Roche A Cri Lake
- → Big Roche A Cri Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Big Roche A Cri Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Big Roche A Cri Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Big Roche A Cri 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 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Stable4 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.07 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Big Roche A Cri Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Cottonville (completed 1924), built primarily for recreation; gravity-type dam, 25 ft tall and 150 ft long.
- Surface area
- 204 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,834 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,650 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 71 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Adams County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00062 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.37 km)
Nearby Lakes in Adams County
Frequently asked questions about Big Roche A Cri Lake
Where is Big Roche A Cri Lake?
- Big Roche A Cri 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 Big Roche A Cri Lake?
- Big Roche A Cri Lake in Adams County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 217 acres.
Is Big Roche A Cri Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Roche A Cri Lake?
- Big Roche A Cri Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 217 acres.
What fish are in Big Roche A Cri Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Roche A Cri Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Big Roche A Cri Lake is located in Adams County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Roche A Cri Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Big Roche A Cri Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Roche A Cri Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Big Roche A Cri Lake?
- Big Roche A Cri Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Roche A Cri Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Roche A Cri Lake?
- Big Roche A Cri 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 Roche A Cri 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
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State Parks Near Big Roche A Cri Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX35 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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