Charnley Lake

Charnley Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Iron County. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Among the 33 graded lakes in Iron County, Charnley Lake ranks 2 — in the top quartile locally.

Charnley Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Charnley Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.