Hiawatha Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin36 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Hiawatha Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 58 ft max depth
- Public access
Hiawatha Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 36 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Hiawatha Lake. DNR survey details →
Hiawatha Lake is a 36-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 58 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye. Public access is available. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Hiawatha Lake ranks #59 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-08-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Hiawatha Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water58 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 Hiawatha 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 Hiawatha Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Hiawatha Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus 18.8 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18.8µg/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. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Hiawatha Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Hiawatha Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hiawatha Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
58 ft
Surface area
36 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,634 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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Stays near Hiawatha Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Hiawatha Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.66 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Hiawatha Lake
Where is Hiawatha Lake?
- Hiawatha Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hiawatha Lake?
- Hiawatha Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 36 acres.
Is Hiawatha Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Hiawatha Lake?
- Hiawatha Lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet. The lake covers 36 acres.
What fish are in Hiawatha Lake?
- Fish species found in Hiawatha Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Hiawatha Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hiawatha Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Hiawatha Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hiawatha Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Hiawatha Lake?
- Public access to Hiawatha Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
37 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX37 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes