Harris Lake
Harris Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 534 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Harris Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 14.9 ft
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 534 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Harris Lake is a 534-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Harris Lake ranks #60 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-07-03. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 14.9 ft down. Phosphorus level: 12.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Harris Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Harris Lake in Vilas 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.
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Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Harris Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Harris Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 1991. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 534 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Harris LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Harris 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.125 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.51 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #60 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Harris Lake
Where is Harris Lake?
- Harris Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Harris Lake?
- Harris Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 534 acres.
Is Harris Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Harris Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Harris Lake?
- Harris Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 534 acres.
What fish are in Harris Lake?
- Fish species found in Harris Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Harris Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Harris Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Harris Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Harris Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 Harris Lake?
- Harris Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Harris Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Harris Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
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Where this data comes from
27 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX27 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
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