Chain Lake
Oconto County, Wisconsin76 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Chain Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Rusty Crayfish
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Chain Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 76 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Chain Lake. DNR survey details →
Chain Lake is a 76-acre lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 42 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Chain Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water42 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.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus 9.5 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9.5µg/L | Measured, not scored 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. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Chain Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common 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 2 years of monitoring is declining. 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 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
76 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
39 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,250 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Chain 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 Chain Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Chain Lake in Oconto 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 Chain Lake
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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
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Chain Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Wi Dnr Lakewood Rearing StationLakewood · 1.5 mi away · NPDES WI0022721
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Oconto County
Frequently asked questions about Chain Lake
Where is Chain Lake?
- Chain Lake is a lake in Oconto 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 Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 76 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 42 feet. The lake covers 76 acres.
What fish are in Chain Lake?
- Fish species found in Chain Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Chain Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Chain Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common 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 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Chain Lake?
- Chain Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Chain Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Chain Lake?
- Chain 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 Chain Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX10 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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