Des Moines Lake
Burnett County, Wisconsin215 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Des Moines Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Purple Loosestrife
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
Des Moines Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 215 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Des Moines Lake. DNR survey details →
Des Moines Lake is a 215-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Des Moines Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Des Moines Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water18.9 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water37 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Des Moines 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 Des Moines Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Des Moines Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 18.9 ft down. Phosphorus 10.3 µg/L. TSI 36.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 18.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10.3µg/L | Good 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. | 36 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Des Moines Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Des Moines Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Des Moines Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1991. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
37 ft
Surface area
215 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.7 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
974 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Des Moines LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Des Moines Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Des Moines Lake
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Follow Des Moines Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Des Moines 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: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.1 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Des Moines Lake
Where is Des Moines Lake?
- Des Moines Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Des Moines Lake?
- Des Moines Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 215 acres.
Is Des Moines Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Des Moines Lake?
- Des Moines Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 215 acres.
What fish are in Des Moines Lake?
- Fish species found in Des Moines Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Des Moines Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Des Moines Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Des Moines Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Des Moines Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Des Moines Lake?
- Des Moines Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Des Moines Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Des Moines Lake?
- Des Moines Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Des Moines Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
49 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX49 samples · 2021–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory