Irving Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin419 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Irving Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
Irving Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.6 µg/L. Surface area: 419 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Irving Lake. DNR survey details →
Irving Lake is a 419-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Irving Lake ranks #65 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Irving Lake covers about 420 acres in Vilas County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Irving Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Irving Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.3 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 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. Irving Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Irving 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 Irving Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Irving 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 11.3 ft. Phosphorus 18.6 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18.6µg/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 Irving Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Irving Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Apr (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Irving Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Irving Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Irving Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1998. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Surface area
419 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
The available depth estimate for Irving Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,683 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Irving 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 Irving Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Irving Lake in Vilas 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 Irving Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Irving Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Irving Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.1 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Irving Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10003971 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Irving Lake
Where is Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.6 µg/L. Surface area: 419 acres.
Is Irving Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Irving Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Irving Lake?
- The available depth estimate for Irving Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown. The lake covers 419 acres.
What fish are in Irving Lake?
- Fish species found in Irving Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Irving Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Irving Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Irving Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Irving Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Irving Lake?
- Irving Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Irving Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Irving Lake?
- Irving 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 Irving 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 Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Irving Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
83 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX83 samples · 2020–2026
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
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