Gateway Pond

Gateway Pond earns an F: 320 µg/L of phosphorus and clarity readings still being added signal heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 87 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Within the 23 graded lakes of Dane County, Gateway Pond sits at rank 19, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at Gateway Pond — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Gateway Pond, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.