Buffalo Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin105 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Buffalo Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Purple Loosestrife
- 27 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Buffalo Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 105 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Buffalo Lake. DNR survey details →
Buffalo Lake is a 105-acre lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 27 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 2025-08-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Buffalo Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. 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.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
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 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
27 ft
Surface area
105 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,591 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Buffalo LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Buffalo Lake
- Northern Highland - American Legion State Forest Buffalo Lake Campground0.5 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Buffalo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 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
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
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 readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake
Where is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake is a lake in Oneida 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 Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 105 acres.
Is Buffalo Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 105 acres.
What fish are in Buffalo Lake?
- Fish species found in Buffalo Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Buffalo Lake is located in Oneida 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 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 Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Buffalo Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo 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.
Are there campgrounds on Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Northern Highland - American Legion State Forest Buffalo Lake Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Buffalo Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Minocqua Chain 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
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
3 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX3 samples · 2020–2025
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles