Cloud Lake
Forest County, WisconsinLimited DataMesotrophic
Cloud Lake earns an A — every scored parameter (phosphorus) rates among the best monitored waters in Forest County.
Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Cloud Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake bottoms out at 25 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. The lake is compact at 28 acres, with partial shoreline records and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Within Forest County's 34 graded waters, Cloud Lake sits at rank 7, near the top of the local distribution.
No invasive species are currently listed at Cloud Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 2 documented species across the lake's records. 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-11-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No data | |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft |
| Surface Area | 28 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Wisconsin and Minnesota lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Cloud Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Cloud Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Cloud Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.21 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 34 lakes in Forest County
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Cloud Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Wisconsin
Washington County · Clarity: 11.8 ft
Washington County · Clarity: 12.6 ft
Walworth County · Clarity: 11 ft
Waukesha County · Clarity: 11.3 ft
Walworth County · Clarity: 20.2 ft
Kenosha County · Clarity: 10 ft
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 1994).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2025-11-20
Monitoring stations: 1