Clear Lake
Clear Lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 94 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Clear Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 13.7 ft
- Max depth
- 74 ft
- Area
- 94 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Clear Lake is a 94-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 74 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Rusk County, Clear Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 13.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Clear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clear Lake in Rusk 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 Clear Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Clear Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Clear Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. 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 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 74 ft |
| Surface Area | 94 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Clear LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clear 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 Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.427 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.05 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Clear Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10009222 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.59 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Rusk County
Nearby Lakes in Rusk County
Frequently asked questions about Clear Lake
Where is Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake is a lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake in Rusk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 94 acres.
Is Clear Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Clear Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has a maximum depth of 74 feet. The lake covers 94 acres.
What fish are in Clear Lake?
- Fish species found in Clear Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Clear Lake is located in Rusk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Clear Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Clear Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Clear Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clear Lake across LakeQuality
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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Where this data comes from
33 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX33 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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