Deer Lake
Deer Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 188 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Deer Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 4 ft
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 188 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Deer Lake is a 188-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Deer Lake ranks #58 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-07-18. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus level: 26 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Deer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Deer Lake in Oneida 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 Deer Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Deer Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Deer Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 188 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Deer 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.571 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.8 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Deer Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007265 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Deer Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Town Of Three Lakes Northernaire Sanitary DistrictThree Lakes, Town Of · 0.6 mi away · NPDES WI0063401Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #58 of 67 lakes in Oneida County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Deer Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake
Where is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 188 acres.
Is Deer Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Deer Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 188 acres.
What fish are in Deer Lake?
- Fish species found in Deer Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Deer Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Deer Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Deer Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Deer Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Deer Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
43 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX43 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes