Gust Lake

Gust Lake earns a D — measurements through 2025 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. Secchi readings are the weakest of the three parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. A maximum depth of just 6 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. Gust Lake is small — 16 acres alongside partial shoreline records — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Gust Lake ranks 123 of 134 in Oneida County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Gust Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. 2 fish species are documented at Gust Lake, a mixed warm-water community typical for Wisconsin lakes of this size. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.