Buffalo Lake
Marquette County, Wisconsin2,179 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Buffalo Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · PCBs
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 8 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Buffalo Lake in Marquette County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 125.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 2179 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Buffalo Lake. DNR survey details →
Buffalo Lake is a 2,179-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Marquette County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 8 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 10 other monitored lakes in Marquette County, Buffalo Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Buffalo Lake covers about 2,200 acres in Marquette County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Buffalo Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Buffalo Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Big water2,179 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Buffalo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Buffalo Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 125.5 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 126µg/L | Poor 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. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Buffalo Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Buffalo Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Buffalo 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 2007. 15 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
8 ft
Surface area
2,179 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
374 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
23.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
764 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Highway D BridgePublic
- 10th DrivePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Buffalo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Buffalo Lake in Marquette 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Buffalo Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Buffalo 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+13.06 µg/L/yr6 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Buffalo Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buffalo Lake Dam (completed 1922) on the FOX; gravity-type dam, 13 ft tall and 2,800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,210 ac
- Normal storage
- 10,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 19,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 398 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI01015 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Buffalo Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001014 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Buffalo Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Packwaukee Sanitary District No. 1 WwtfPackwaukee, Town Of · 3.7 mi away · NPDES WI0060933Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Marquette County
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake
Where is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake is a lake in Marquette County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake in Marquette County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 125.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 2179 acres.
Is Buffalo Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Buffalo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 2179 acres.
What fish are in Buffalo Lake?
- Fish species found in Buffalo Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Catfish. Buffalo Lake is located in Marquette County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Buffalo Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Buffalo Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Highway D Bridge, 10th Drive. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Buffalo 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 Marquette County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Buffalo Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Buffalo Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX12 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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