Hemlock Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Hemlock Lake pulls an A: clarity at 15.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI value of 38 puts Hemlock Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. The lake bottoms out at 25 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Hemlock Lake is small — 38 acres alongside partial shoreline records — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Among the 134 graded lakes in Oneida County, Hemlock Lake ranks 3 — in the top quartile locally.

Hemlock Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 3 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.