Chain Lake
Chippewa County, Wisconsin454 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Chain Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 74 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Chain Lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 454 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Chain Lake. DNR survey details →
Chain Lake is a 454-acre lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 74 feet. 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Chain Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water74 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Chain 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 Chain Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Chain Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.2 ft. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.2ft | 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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Chain Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Chain Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL) on May 23, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Chain Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Chain Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 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. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
74 ft
Surface area
454 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Chain Lake
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Follow Chain Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Chain 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 (2020–2026). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.05 µg/L/yr3 years
Nearby Lakes in Chippewa County
Frequently asked questions about Chain Lake
Where is Chain Lake?
- Chain Lake is a lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Chain Lake?
- Chain Lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 454 acres.
Is Chain Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Chain Lake?
- Chain Lake has a maximum depth of 74 feet. The lake covers 454 acres.
What fish are in Chain Lake?
- Fish species found in Chain Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Chain Lake is located in Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Chain Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Chain Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Chain Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Chain Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Chain Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Can I fish at Chain Lake?
- Public access to Chain Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Chain Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 2 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_WQX39 samples · 2020–2026
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes