Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake in Iron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 187 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Cedar Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 7.5 ft
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 187 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Iron County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Cedar Lake is a 187-acre mesotrophic lake in Iron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Cedar Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Cedar Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Cedar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cedar Lake in Iron 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 Cedar 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 Musky as common on Cedar Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cedar Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 187 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cedar LakePublic
- North Bass LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cedar Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.314 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.56 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Cedar 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 WI10003714 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.58 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 16 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
Where is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake is a lake in Iron County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake in Iron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 187 acres.
Is Cedar Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Cedar Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 187 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Cedar Lake is located in Iron County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cedar Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Cedar Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cedar Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Lake, North Bass Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Cedar Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Iron County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
19 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX19 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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