Cochran Lake

Cochran Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Price County. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Trophically, Cochran Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. A maximum depth of 20 ft puts Cochran Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. At 111 acres, Cochran Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Among the 26 graded lakes in Price County, Cochran Lake ranks 2 — in the top quartile locally.

Cochran Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 2, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.