Deer Lake
Deer Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 786 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Deer Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Max depth
- 46 ft
- Area
- 786 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Deer Lake is a 786-acre mesotrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 46 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Deer Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus level: 16.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Deer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Deer Lake in Polk 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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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Deer Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (52,966 cells/mL) on April 10, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
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 B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1987. 4 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Deer Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Deer Lake spring shocking survey, 2025Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 46 ft |
| Surface Area | 786 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Deer LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.977 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.07 µg/L/yr | 7 |
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 55 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake
Where is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 786 acres.
Is Deer Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Deer Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet. The lake covers 786 acres.
What fish are in Deer Lake?
- Fish species found in Deer Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Deer Lake is located in Polk 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 B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Deer Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Deer Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (52,966 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Deer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Deer Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Polk County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
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Where this data comes from
123 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX123 samples · 2020–2026
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory