Friess Lake
Washington County, Wisconsin121 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Friess Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 48 ft max depth
Friess Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 121 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Friess Lake. DNR survey details →
Friess Lake is a 121-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 48 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Friess Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Friess Lake covers about 120 acres in Washington County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Friess Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Friess Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water48 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Friess Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Friess 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 Friess Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Friess Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus 32.9 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 32.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Friess Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Friess Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Friess Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Friess Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Friess Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
48 ft
Surface area
121 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
23 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
958 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Friess Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Friess Lake in Washington 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 Friess Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Friess 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: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.68 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Friess Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007980 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Friess Lake
Where is Friess Lake?
- Friess Lake is a lake in Washington County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Friess Lake?
- Friess Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 121 acres.
Is Friess Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Friess Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Friess Lake?
- Friess Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Friess Lake?
- Friess Lake has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake covers 121 acres.
What fish are in Friess Lake?
- Fish species found in Friess Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Friess Lake is located in Washington County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Friess Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Friess Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Friess Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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.
Explore Friess Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
87 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX87 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes