Golden Lake
Waukesha County, Wisconsin288 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Golden Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 44 ft max depth
- Public access
Golden Lake in Waukesha County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 288 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Golden Lake. DNR survey details →
Golden Lake is a 288-acre mesotrophic lake in Waukesha County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 44 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Waukesha County, Golden Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Golden Lake covers about 290 acres in Waukesha County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Golden Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Golden Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.8 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water44 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Golden 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 Golden Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Golden Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.8 ft. Phosphorus 14.4 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.4µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Golden Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Golden Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Golden Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 1989. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
44 ft
Surface area
288 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
853 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Golden LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Golden Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Golden Lake in Waukesha 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 Golden Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 →
Follow Golden Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Golden 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 6 years of monitoring (2021–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.52 µg/L/yr6 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Golden Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Great Lakes Investors Llc WwtfConcord · 3 mi away · NPDES WI0060607Recent violation
- Sullivan San Dist 1 WwtfSullivan · 3.3 mi away · NPDES WI0031844Recent violation
- Sullivan WwtfSullivan · 3.5 mi away · NPDES WI0025585Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Waukesha County
Frequently asked questions about Golden Lake
Where is Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake is a lake in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake in Waukesha County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 288 acres.
Is Golden Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet. The lake covers 288 acres.
What fish are in Golden Lake?
- Fish species found in Golden Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Golden Lake is located in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Golden Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Golden Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Golden Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Golden Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Golden Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Waukesha County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Golden Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
50 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX50 samples · 2021–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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