Bricher Lake

Bricher Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Trophically, Bricher Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. Bricher Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 26 acres, Bricher Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within Burnett County's 70 graded lakes, Bricher Lake ranks 39 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Bricher Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2019, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery is bass-led, with 2 documented species across the lake's records. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.