Buffalo Lake
Pierce County, WisconsinHypereutrophic
Buffalo Lake is a 990-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Pierce County, ND. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Pierce County, Buffalo Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, local state DNR records, last sampled 2021-10-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 0.3 ft of visibility. Chlorophyll-a: 219.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 88.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.3 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 219.5 µg/L | F |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 88 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 990 acres |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Pierce County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Buffalo Lake holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- ARound LakeMcHenry County · 20.7 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → A)
- CHarvey Dam LakeWells County · 17.1 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- CBalta Dam LakePierce County · 14.8 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- CLake GeorgeMcHenry County · 28.5 mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- DAntelope LakePierce County · 12.6 mi · Higher grade (F → D)
Nearby Lakes in Pierce County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Wisconsin
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Buffalo Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buffalo Lake Dam (completed 1930), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Buffalo Coulee; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 4,250 ft long.
- Surface area
- 990 ac
- Normal storage
- 5,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 11,200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 384 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID ND00347 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Buffalo Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit ND-09020202-003-L_00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2021-10-18
Monitoring stations: 1