Garner Lake

Garner Lake earns a D — measurements through 2024 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

At a TSI of 65, Garner Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. At only 8 ft deep, Garner Lake is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. Garner Lake is small — 13 acres alongside partial shoreline records — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Garner Lake ranks 2 of 2 in Richland County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Garner Lake, 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.