Iola Lake
Waupaca County, Wisconsin220 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Iola Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- Public access
Iola Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.4 µg/L. Surface area: 220 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Iola Lake. DNR survey details →
Iola Lake is a 220-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. 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. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Waupaca County, Iola Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-08-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Iola Lake covers about 220 acres in Waupaca County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Iola Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Iola Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
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 Iola 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 Iola Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Iola Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 16.4 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16.4µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Iola Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Iola Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Iola 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. 4 stations on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Surface area
220 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
The available depth estimate for Iola Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
26 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
5.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
948 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Iola 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 Iola Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Iola Lake in Waupaca 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Iola Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Iola Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Iola 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
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.25 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Iola Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Iola (completed 1865), built primarily for recreation on the SOUTH BRANCH LITTLE WOLF; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 694 ft long.
- Surface area
- 206 ac
- Normal storage
- 638 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 100 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Village Of Iola
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00337 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Iola Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Iola Wastewater Treatment FacilityIola · 1.2 mi away · NPDES WI0021717Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Iola Lake
Where is Iola Lake?
- Iola Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Iola Lake?
- Iola Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.4 µg/L. Surface area: 220 acres.
Is Iola Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Iola Lake?
- The available depth estimate for Iola Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown. The lake covers 220 acres.
What fish are in Iola Lake?
- Fish species found in Iola Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Iola Lake is located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Iola Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Iola Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Iola 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 Iola Lake?
- Iola Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Iola Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Iola Lake?
- Iola 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 Iola Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Waupaca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
State Parks Near Iola Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX28 samples · 2021–2023
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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