Cooley Lake
Oconto County, Wisconsin62 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Cooley Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 42 ft max depth
- Limited data
Cooley Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 62 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Cooley Lake. DNR survey details →
Cooley Lake is a 62-acre lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Northern Pike.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2021-01-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cooley Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water42 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cooley Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cooley 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 Cooley Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Cooley Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus 39.3 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 39.3µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| 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. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Cooley Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Cooley Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cooley Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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 2021).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
62 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.4 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
817 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cooley Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cooley Lake in Oconto 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 Cooley Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Cooley Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cooley Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Cooley Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10000916 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Oconto County
Frequently asked questions about Cooley Lake
Where is Cooley Lake?
- Cooley Lake is a lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cooley Lake?
- Cooley Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 62 acres.
Is Cooley Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cooley Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Cooley Lake?
- Cooley Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 62 acres.
What fish are in Cooley Lake?
- Fish species found in Cooley Lake include Panfish, Northern Pike. Cooley Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cooley Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Cooley Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cooley Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Cooley Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Oconto County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
State Parks Near Cooley Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX12 samples · 2020–2021
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes