Found Lake
Found Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 336 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Found Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 336 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Found Lake is a 336-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Found Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 20.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Found Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Found 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 Found Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Found Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Found Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Found Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (105,682 cells/mL) on September 20, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Found Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Found Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 336 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Found Lake SitePublic
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 Found Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.036 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.01 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Found 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 WI10007601 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #31 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Found Lake
Where is Found Lake?
- Found Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Found Lake?
- Found Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 336 acres.
Is Found Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Found Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Found Lake?
- Found Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Found Lake?
- Found Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 336 acres.
What fish are in Found Lake?
- Fish species found in Found Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Found Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Found Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Found Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Found Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Found Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Found Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (105,682 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Found Lake?
- Found Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Found Lake Site. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Found Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
76 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX76 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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