Dunn Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin77 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Dunn Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 9 ft max depth
- Limited data
Dunn Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 77 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Dunn Lake. DNR survey details →
Dunn Lake is a 77-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-31. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Dunn Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Dunn 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 Dunn Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Dunn 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 6.5 ft. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.5ft | 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. | 50 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Dunn Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Dunn Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Aug (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (72°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dunn Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Dunn Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dunn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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 2024. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
9 ft
Surface area
77 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,650 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Dunn Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Dunn Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dunn Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.6 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Dunn Lake
Where is Dunn Lake?
- Dunn 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 Dunn Lake?
- Dunn Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 77 acres.
Is Dunn Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Dunn Lake?
- Dunn Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Dunn Lake?
- Dunn Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 77 acres.
What fish are in Dunn Lake?
- Fish species found in Dunn Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Dunn Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Dunn Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Dunn Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dunn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX6 samples · 2024–2025
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