Deer Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin66 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Deer Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 24 ft max depth
- Limited data
Deer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 66 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Deer Lake. DNR survey details →
Deer Lake is a 66-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Deer Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. 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.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Deer Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present 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. 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 2025. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
24 ft
Surface area
66 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,670 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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Stays near Deer Lake
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Fish Species
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Fishing Deer Lake
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake
Where is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake is a lake in Vilas 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 Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 66 acres.
Is Deer Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 66 acres.
What fish are in Deer Lake?
- Fish species found in Deer Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Deer Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Deer Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present 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. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX1 sample · 2025
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes