Birch Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin506 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Birch Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Rusty Crayfish
- 45 ft max depth
- Public access
Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 506 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Birch Lake. DNR survey details →
Birch Lake is a 506-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 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, Birch Lake ranks #14 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.
What Birch Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water45 ft surveyed max depth
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 Birch 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 Birch Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Birch 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 6.5 ft. Phosphorus 16.3 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16.3µg/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 Birch Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Birch Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (319,154 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Birch Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Birch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1997. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Birch 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).
- 2025Yellow Birch Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
45 ft
Surface area
506 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
9 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
5.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,621 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Birch 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 Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Birch 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 Birch Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Birch Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Birch 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
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.01 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Birch Lake
Where is Birch Lake?
- Birch 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 Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 506 acres.
Is Birch Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 506 acres.
What fish are in Birch Lake?
- Fish species found in Birch Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Birch Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Birch Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Birch Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Birch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Birch Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Birch Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (319,154 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Birch Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Birch Lake?
- Birch 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 Birch 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 Birch Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
43 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_WQX43 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
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