Buffalo Lake
Buffalo Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. 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 →
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 105 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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.
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 4 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Buffalo Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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
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 →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 105 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Rainbow Flowage - DavesPublic
- Buffalo LakePublic
- Dog LakePublic
- Pickerel 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
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.643 m/yr | 3 |
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007405 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.89 km)
Graded lakes near Buffalo Lake
Buffalo Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake
Where is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 105 acres.
Is Buffalo Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Buffalo 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 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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Buffalo Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rainbow Flowage - Daves, Buffalo Lake, Dog Lake, Pickerel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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
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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)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles