Columbia Lake
Columbia Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 84 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Columbia Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Max depth
- 72 ft
- Area
- 84 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Columbia Lake is a 84-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 72 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Waupaca County, Columbia Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-08-29. 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 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Columbia Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Columbia Lake in Waupaca 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 Columbia Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Columbia Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Columbia Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft |
| Surface Area | 84 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Miner LakePublic
- Bass Lake ChannelPublic
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 Columbia 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: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.527 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.32 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Columbia 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 WI10016632 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.62 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 21 lakes in Waupaca County
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Columbia Lake
Where is Columbia Lake?
- Columbia Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Columbia Lake?
- Columbia Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 84 acres.
Is Columbia Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Columbia Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Columbia Lake?
- Columbia Lake has a maximum depth of 72 feet. The lake covers 84 acres.
What fish are in Columbia Lake?
- Fish species found in Columbia Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout, Walleye. Columbia Lake is located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Columbia Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Columbia Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Columbia Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Columbia Lake?
- Columbia Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Miner Lake, Bass Lake Channel. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Columbia Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
22 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX22 samples · 2020–2022
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