Crawford Lake

Crawford Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Wisconsin average. Secchi readings are the weakest of the three parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

At a TSI of 64, Crawford Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. At only 11 ft deep, Crawford Lake is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. Crawford Lake is small — 27 acres alongside partial shoreline records — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Within the 191 graded lakes of Vilas County, Crawford Lake sits at rank 182, near the bottom of the county list.

Crawford Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2022, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The lake's fish records list 1 species — a varied community without one dominant gamefish. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.