Honey Lake

On the scoring rubric Honey Lake grades a D: clarity at 8.2 ft and 99 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Walworth County. Phosphorus is the parameter holding the grade back — runoff from the surrounding watershed appears to keep nutrient levels elevated through the summer.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. Honey Lake is a shallow lake at 6 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. Honey Lake is small — 40 acres alongside partial shoreline records — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Honey Lake ranks 32 of 34 in Walworth County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Honey Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 5, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.