Hiawatha Lake

Hiawatha Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. Secchi readings are the weakest of the three parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

At a TSI of 52, Hiawatha Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. At 58 ft of maximum depth, Hiawatha Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 36 acres, Hiawatha Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Hiawatha Lake sits at rank 134 of 191 in Vilas County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Hiawatha Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. Walleye are documented at Hiawatha Lake, one of 3 fish species on record for the lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.