Columbia Lake
Waupaca County, Wisconsin84 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Columbia Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 4 aquatic invasives
- 72 ft max depth
- Public access
Columbia Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 →
Columbia Lake is a 84-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 72 feet. 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Columbia Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Deep water72 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Columbia Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Columbia Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Columbia Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus 12.2 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Columbia Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Columbia Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Columbia Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Max depth
72 ft
Surface area
84 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Bass Lake ChannelPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Columbia Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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 (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.32 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Columbia Lake
Where is Columbia Lake?
- Columbia Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Columbia Lake?
- Columbia Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Columbia Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bass Lake Channel. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Columbia Lake?
- Columbia Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Columbia Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory