Birch Lake
Birch Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 364 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Birch Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Max depth
- 73 ft
- Area
- 364 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Birch Lake is a 364-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 73 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Birch Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 26.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Birch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Birch Lake in Washburn 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 →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Birch Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Birch Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 73 ft |
| Surface Area | 364 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Doolittle ParkPublic
- Birch LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.17 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Birch Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Birch Lake (completed 1878), built primarily for recreation on the BIRCH CREEK; gravity-type dam, 28 ft tall and 600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,288 ac
- Normal storage
- 14,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 23,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 66.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Washburn County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00085 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Birch Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10006820 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #24 of 27 lakes in Washburn County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Birch Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Washburn County
Frequently asked questions about Birch Lake
Where is Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 364 acres.
Is Birch Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Birch Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake covers 364 acres.
What fish are in Birch Lake?
- Fish species found in Birch Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Birch Lake is located in Washburn County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Birch Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Birch Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Birch Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Doolittle Park, Birch Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Birch Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
19 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_WQX19 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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