Charnley Lake
Charnley Lake in Iron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Charnley Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Iron County, Wisconsin. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Charnley Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Charnley Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Charnley 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 Charnley Lake
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Water Temperature
Charnley Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Charnley Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- McDermott LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Charnley Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.286 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 16 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Charnley Lake
Where is Charnley Lake?
- Charnley 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 Charnley Lake?
- Charnley Lake in Iron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L.
Is Charnley Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Charnley Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Charnley Lake?
- Charnley Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Charnley Lake?
- Charnley Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include McDermott Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Charnley Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX42 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory