Helen Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Helen Lake at a C: clarity at 3.4 ft, 55 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 61 signal an intermediate trophic state. clarity and phosphorus rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. The lake bottoms out at 28 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 16 acres, Helen Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Helen Lake sits at rank 4 of 6 in Iowa County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Helen Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 4 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.