Elsie Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin47 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Elsie Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 22 ft max depth
- Limited data
Elsie Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 47 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Elsie Lake. DNR survey details →
Elsie Lake is a 47-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. 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 2026-07-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Elsie Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Elsie 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 Elsie Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Elsie 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 16 ft down. TSI 37.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16ft | 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. | 37 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Elsie Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Elsie Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in Oct (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Elsie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Elsie Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elsie Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
22 ft
Surface area
47 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,617 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Elsie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elsie Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Elsie Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elsie Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.26 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Elsie Lake
Where is Elsie Lake?
- Elsie 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 Elsie Lake?
- Elsie Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 47 acres.
Is Elsie 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 Elsie Lake?
- Elsie Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elsie Lake?
- Elsie Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 47 acres.
What fish are in Elsie Lake?
- Fish species found in Elsie Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Elsie Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Elsie Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Elsie Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elsie Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX13 samples · 2024–2026
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