Where is Birch Island Lake?

Birch Island Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Birch Island Lake?

Birch Island Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Birch Island Lake?

Birch Island Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 768 acres.

What fish are in Birch Island Lake?

Fish species found in Birch Island Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Birch Island Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Birch Island Lake?

Birch Island Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Birch Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Birch Island Lake?

Birch Island 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.

Birch Island Lake

Burnett County, Wisconsin768 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Birch Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

8 ft

Typical for Wisconsin

Secchi · sampled 2025

Phosphorus

13.7 µg/L

Typical for Wisconsin

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~59°F

Typical for Aug · EPA WQP

Max depth

13 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

768 acres

Surface area

Type

Mesotrophic

Trophic class

Mesotrophic
Purple Loosestrife
13 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Birch Island Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 768 acres.

Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Birch Island Lake. DNR survey details →

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Birch Island Lake is a 768-acre mesotrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 13 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Birch Island Lake ranks #15 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Birch Island Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Fishing3 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Low 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 Birch Island 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Hayward →

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Water quality measurements for Birch Island Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Birch Island Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus 13.7 µg/L. TSI 45.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	8ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	13.7µg/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.	45	Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about Birch Island Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Birch Island Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Aug (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

75°

Jun

81°

Jul

59°

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (81°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Birch Island Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Birch Island Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Birch Island 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 1997. 4 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Excellent · Shallow Seepage lake

Trophic State Index 37 (oligotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Largemouth Bass(Abundant)Panfish(Common)Northern Pike(Common)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

13 ft

Surface area

768 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

8 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

10.5 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

978 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Birch Island 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 Birch Island Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Birch Island Lake in Burnett 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 Birch Island 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 Birch Island Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass Northern Pike

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Birch Island 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailPurple Loosestrife

Water Quality Trend: Worsening

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

Water clarity
Worsening
6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening
+1.66 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Burnett County

Boner Lake—View →Oak Lake11.3 ft clear—View →Pine Lake—View →Hanscom Lake—View →Loon Lake8.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Cadotte Lake9.5 ft clear—View →

Frequently asked questions about Birch Island Lake

Where is Birch Island Lake?: Birch Island Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Birch Island Lake?: Birch Island Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 768 acres.
Is Birch Island Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Birch Island Lake?: Birch Island Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Birch Island Lake?: Birch Island Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 768 acres.
What fish are in Birch Island Lake?: Fish species found in Birch Island Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Birch Island Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Birch Island Lake?: Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Birch Island Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Birch Island 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.
Are there boat ramps on Birch Island Lake?: Birch Island Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Birch Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Birch Island Lake?: Birch Island 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.

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Compare Birch Island Lake With Nearby Lakes

Birch Island Lake vs Sand Lake

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Birch Island Lake vs Big Sand Lake

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Where this data comes from

44 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX44 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-073099

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.