Des Moines Lake

Des Moines Lake earns an A — every scored parameter (clarity and phosphorus) rates among the best monitored waters in Burnett County. clarity and phosphorus rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI value of 36 puts Des Moines Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Des Moines Lake reaches 37 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. Des Moines Lake covers 215 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Among the 57 graded lakes in Burnett County, Des Moines Lake ranks 4 — in the top quartile locally.

An invasive species record — Banded Mystery Snail — has been logged at Des Moines Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 3, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.