Deer Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin188 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Deer Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Rusty Crayfish
- 20 ft max depth
- Limited data
Deer Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 →
Deer Lake is a 188-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 20 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Deer Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing6 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Deer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Deer 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 Deer Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Deer 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 ft. Phosphorus 26 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 26µg/L | Fair 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. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Deer Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Deer Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Deer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Max depth
20 ft
Surface area
188 acres
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Deer Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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 (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.8 µg/L/yr4 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
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.
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake
Where is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 188 acres.
Is Deer Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Deer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Deer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Minocqua Chain area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes