Fawn Lake
Fawn Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 19 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Fawn Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 19 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Why Fawn 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 Fawn 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.
Fawn Lake is a 19-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-10-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Fawn Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fawn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fawn 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 Fawn Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Fawn 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 Fawn Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 19 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fawn Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.125 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.4 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fawn Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Big St Germain (completed 1923), built primarily for hydroelectric on the St Germain River; gravity-type dam, 7 ft tall and 117 ft long.
- Max storage
- 33,655 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 73.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI01146 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.29 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Fawn Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007633 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.6 km)
Graded lakes near Fawn Lake
Fawn Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Fawn Lake
Where is Fawn Lake?
- Fawn Lake is a lake in Vilas 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 Fawn Lake?
- Fawn Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 19 acres.
Is Fawn Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Fawn 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 Fawn Lake?
- Fawn Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 19 acres.
What fish are in Fawn Lake?
- Fish species found in Fawn Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Fawn Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Fawn Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Fawn 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 Fawn Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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.
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX30 samples · 2020–2024
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes