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LakeQuality

Bird Lake

NR
Not yet rated
17 ft clear · Oligotrophic · 97 acres
Limited DataOligotrophic

Bird Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 97 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bird Lake. DNR survey details →

Clarity
17 ft
Max depth
40 ft
Area
97 acres
Trend
Improving
Public access
Yes

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Why Bird Lake has no grade

We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Bird Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).

Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by WI DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

Bird Lake is a 97-acre lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Minocqua

Get alerts for Bird Lake

Water quality measurements for Bird Lake

These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.

Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)17 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)36Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Bird Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bird Lake in Oneida 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 Bird Lake

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 →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bird Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Bird Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 5 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 1999. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Smallmouth Bass(Present)Walleye(Present)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth40 ft
Surface Area97 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Shoreline
2.7 mi
Elevation
1,591 ft

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

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Bird 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 Bird 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 Snail

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+21.709 m/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Bird Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10026824 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.68 km)

Graded lakes near Bird Lake

Bird Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Oneida County

Frequently asked questions about Bird Lake

Where is Bird Lake?

Bird Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.

What is the water quality grade for Bird Lake?

Bird Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 97 acres.

Is Bird Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Bird Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Bird Lake?

Bird Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 97 acres.

What fish are in Bird Lake?

Fish species found in Bird Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Bird Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bird Lake?

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bird Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Bird Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Are there boat ramps on Bird Lake?

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

Where this data comes from

30 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_WQX30 samples · 2020–2025
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