Chequamegon Waters Flowage Lake

Chequamegon Waters Flowage Lake grades an F: water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate poorly, placing it among the most stressed lakes monitored in Wisconsin. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. Chequamegon Waters Flowage Lake reaches 22 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. With 2,366 acres of surface and partial shoreline records, Chequamegon Waters Flowage Lake is a large water by Wisconsin standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Within the 6 graded lakes of Taylor County, Chequamegon Waters Flowage Lake sits at rank 6, near the bottom of the county list.

Chequamegon Waters Flowage Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. A documented public access point at Chequamegon Waters Flowage Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.