Cedar Lake
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin136 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Cedar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Zebra Mussel
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
Cedar Lake in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 136 acres.
Cedar Lake is a 136-acre mesotrophic lake in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Manitowoc County, Cedar Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cedar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cedar 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 Cedar Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Cedar Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft. Phosphorus 17.7 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17.7µg/L | Good 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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Cedar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cedar Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 48 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cedar Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Cedar Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2022Cedar Lake comprehensive survey, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2016Cedar Lake comprehensive survey 2016Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2016 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
21 ft
Surface area
136 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
892 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cedar LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cedar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cedar Lake in Manitowoc 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
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 Cedar Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cedar 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 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+8.78 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Manitowoc County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
Where is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake is a lake in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 136 acres.
Is Cedar Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 48 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 136 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Cedar Lake is located in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.
Are there boat ramps on Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cedar Lake?
- Cedar 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.
Explore Cedar Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
97 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX97 samples · 2020–2026
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
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