Cranberry Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin924 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Cranberry Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- Rusty Crayfish
- 23 ft max depth
- Public access
Cranberry Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 924 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Cranberry Lake. DNR survey details →
Cranberry Lake is a 924-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Cranberry Lake ranks #52 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cranberry Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing6 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Cranberry Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cranberry 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 Cranberry Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Cranberry 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 4.5 ft. Phosphorus 30.8 µg/L. TSI 55.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30.8µg/L | Fair 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. | 55 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Cranberry Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cranberry Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (45°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cranberry Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Cranberry Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (194,089 cells/mL) on May 9, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Cranberry Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cranberry Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1992. 13 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
23 ft
Surface area
924 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
159 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
10.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,614 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cranberry LakePublic
- Eagle RiverSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cranberry Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cranberry Lake in Oneida 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 Cranberry Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cranberry 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: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.99 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cranberry Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Cranberry Lake, built primarily for recreation on the INLET CRANBERRY LAKE; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 18 ac
- Max storage
- 72 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Coleman, Matt
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI10564 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Cranberry 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: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007862 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Cranberry Lake
Where is Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 924 acres.
Is Cranberry Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cranberry Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 924 acres.
What fish are in Cranberry Lake?
- Fish species found in Cranberry Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Cranberry Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cranberry Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Cranberry Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cranberry Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Cranberry Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Cranberry Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (194,089 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cranberry Lake, Eagle River. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Cranberry Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
115 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX115 samples · 2020–2026
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory