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LakeQuality

Emma Lake

NR
Not yet rated
5.7 ft clear · Eutrophic · 227 acres
Limited DataEutrophic

Emma Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 227 acres.

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Emma Lake. DNR survey details →

Clarity
5.7 ft
Max depth
17 ft
Area
227 acres
Trend
Improving
Public access
Yes

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Why Emma Lake has no grade

We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Emma Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).

Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by WI DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

Emma Lake is a 227-acre lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Rhinelander

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Water quality measurements for Emma Lake

These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.

Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft. Trophic State Index: 52.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)5.7 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)52Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Emma Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Emma Lake in Oneida 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 Emma Lake

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Emma Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Emma Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 1993. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).

DNR Assessment
Good · Shallow Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 51 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Abundant)Walleye(Common)Musky(Present)Largemouth Bass(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth17 ft
Surface Area227 acres
Public AccessYes

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Emma LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Emma Lake

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.229 m/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Emma Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007843 · Official waterbody report

Graded lakes near Emma Lake

Emma Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Oneida County

Frequently asked questions about Emma Lake

Where is Emma Lake?

Emma Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.

What is the water quality grade for Emma Lake?

Emma Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 227 acres.

Is Emma Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Emma Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Emma Lake?

Emma Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 227 acres.

What fish are in Emma Lake?

Fish species found in Emma Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Emma Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Emma Lake?

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Emma Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Emma Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Are there boat ramps on Emma Lake?

Emma Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Emma Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

73 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX73 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.

Other records on this page

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

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