Indian Lake
Indian Lake in Dane County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 295 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 0.7 ft
- Mean depth
- ~17 ft est.
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Indian Lake →
Next lake in Dane County
Indian Lake is a highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Dane County, Wisconsin with an estimated average depth of about 17 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 14 other monitored lakes in Dane County, Indian Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 0.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 295 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 84.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 295 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 84 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Indian Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Indian Lake in Dane County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Indian Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Indian Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~17 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Wisconsin has not published bathymetry for Indian Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Indian Lake County ParkPublic
Fishing Indian Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.4 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -56.29 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Indian Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001483 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 15 lakes in Dane County
Nearby Lakes in Dane County
Frequently asked questions about Indian Lake
What is the water quality grade for Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake in Dane County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 295 µg/L.
Is Indian Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Indian Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Indian Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Indian Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 17 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Indian Lake County Park. Public access is listed as yes.
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Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX14 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory