Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake at a C: clarity at 5.8 ft, 29 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 51 signal an intermediate trophic state. Secchi readings are the weakest of the scored parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake is unusually deep for Wisconsin at 92 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake covers 14,593 acres alongside partial shoreline records, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake ranks 38 of 50 in Sawyer County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. Walleye are documented at Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake, one of 8 fish species on record for the lake. Multiple sampling years from the Wisconsin DNR Citizen Lake Monitoring Network back the grade, so the letter should hold steady absent a major watershed shift.