Cranberry Lake
Cranberry Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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 →
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 924 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Cranberry Lake is a 924-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 30.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30.8 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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.
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cranberry Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 924 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
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
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.049 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.99 µg/L/yr | 7 |
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007862 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #52 of 67 lakes in Oneida County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Cranberry Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Cranberry Lake
Where is Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Cranberry Lake?
- Cranberry Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Cranberry Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Cranberry Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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.
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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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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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)
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