Elk Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Elk Lake at a C: clarity at 7.7 ft, phosphorus readings still being added, and a TSI of 48 signal an intermediate trophic state. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Elk Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. The lake bottoms out at 25 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 87 acres, Elk Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Elk Lake ranks 21 of 26 in Price County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Elk Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. Walleye are documented at Elk Lake, one of 5 fish species on record for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.