Crawford Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin27 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Crawford Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Crawford Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 58.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 27 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Crawford Lake. DNR survey details →
Crawford Lake is a 27-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Panfish. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-09-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crawford 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 Crawford Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Crawford Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 58.2 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 58.2µg/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. | 64 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Crawford Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Crawford Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crawford 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 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
11 ft
Surface area
27 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Fish Species
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Fishing Crawford Lake
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Frequently asked questions about Crawford Lake
Where is Crawford Lake?
- Crawford Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crawford Lake?
- Crawford Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 58.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 27 acres.
Is Crawford Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Crawford Lake?
- Crawford Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 27 acres.
What fish are in Crawford Lake?
- Fish species found in Crawford Lake include Panfish. Crawford Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crawford Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Crawford Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crawford Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Crawford Lake?
- Public access to Crawford Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX5 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity in Water
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