Horse Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin221 acresView mapDirections
No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Wisconsin DNR for this lake.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Horse Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 221 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Horse Lake. DNR survey details →
Horse Lake is a 221-acre lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2020-05-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Horse Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Horse Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Horse 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 Horse Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Horse Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data.
Ask about Horse Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Horse Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Horse Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2020).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
11 ft
Surface area
221 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
14 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
928 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Horse LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Horse Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Horse Lake
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Follow Horse Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Horse Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Horse Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004946 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Horse Lake
Where is Horse Lake?
- Horse Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Horse Lake?
- Horse Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 221 acres.
Is Horse Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Horse Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Horse Lake?
- Horse Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 221 acres.
What fish are in Horse Lake?
- Fish species found in Horse Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Horse Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Horse Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Horse Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Horse Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Horse Lake?
- Horse Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Horse Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Horse Lake?
- Horse Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Explore Horse Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX1 sample · 2020
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory