Forestville Millpond

Forestville Millpond earns a D — measurements through 2023 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. Phosphorus is the parameter holding the grade back — runoff from the surrounding watershed appears to keep nutrient levels elevated through the summer.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. A maximum depth of just 5 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. At 65 acres, Forestville Millpond sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within the 11 graded lakes of Door County, Forestville Millpond sits at rank 11, near the bottom of the county list.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Forestville Millpond, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery is bass-led, with 4 documented species across the lake's records. 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.