Cross Lake

Cross Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI value of 36 puts Cross Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. A maximum depth of 35 ft puts Cross Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. At 89 acres, Cross Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Cross Lake sits at rank 9 of 13 in Kenosha County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Cross Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. A documented public access point at Cross Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.