Crane Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin355 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Crane Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- Purple Loosestrife
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Crane Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 355 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Crane Lake. DNR survey details →
Crane Lake is a 355-acre mesotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Crane Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Crane Lake covers about 360 acres in Forest County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Crane Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Crane Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 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. Crane Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crane 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 Crane Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Crane Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Crane Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Crane Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (48°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crane Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Crane Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (118,032 cells/mL) on May 30, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Crane Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crane Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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. 4 stations on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Crane Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2017Crane Lake fisheries summary, 2017Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
355 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.4 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,522 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Crane LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Crane Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crane Lake in Forest 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 Crane 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 Crane Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crane 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 6 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.61 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Crane 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 WI10000669 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Crane Lake
Where is Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 355 acres.
Is Crane Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Crane 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 Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 355 acres.
What fish are in Crane Lake?
- Fish species found in Crane Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Crane Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crane Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Crane Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crane Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Crane Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Crane Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (118,032 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crane Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Crane Lake?
- Crane 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 Crane Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Forest County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX42 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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