Crescent Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin15 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Crescent Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
Crescent Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 15 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Crescent Lake. DNR survey details →
Crescent Lake is a 15-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Trout. Public access is available. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Crescent Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-08-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Crescent Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water43 ft surveyed max depth
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. Crescent Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crescent 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 Crescent Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Crescent 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 17.4 µg/L. TSI 50.
| 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 | 17.4µg/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. | 50 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Crescent Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Crescent Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crescent Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. 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
43 ft
Surface area
15 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Crescent Lake
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Fish Species
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Fishing Crescent Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.85 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Crescent Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005180 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Crescent Lake
Where is Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 15 acres.
Is Crescent Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Crescent Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Crescent Lake?
- Crescent Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 15 acres.
What fish are in Crescent Lake?
- Fish species found in Crescent Lake include Panfish, Trout. Crescent Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crescent Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Crescent Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crescent Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Crescent Lake?
- Public access to Crescent 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.
Explore Crescent Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX29 samples · 2020–2022
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes