Where is Johnson Lake?

Johnson Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Johnson Lake?

Johnson Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Johnson Lake?

Johnson Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 399 acres.

What fish are in Johnson Lake?

Fish species found in Johnson Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Johnson Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Johnson Lake?

Johnson Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Johnson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Johnson Lake?

Johnson 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.

Johnson Lake

Burnett County, Wisconsin399 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Johnson Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

12.2 ft

Clearer than most

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

14.1 µg/L

Typical for Wisconsin

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~73°F

Typical for Aug · EPA WQP

Max depth

23 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

399 acres

Surface area

Type

Mesotrophic

Trophic class

Mesotrophic
23 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Johnson Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 399 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Johnson Lake. DNR survey details →

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Johnson Lake is a 399-acre mesotrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Overall water quality is improving 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 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Johnson Lake ranks #16 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Johnson Lake covers about 400 acres in Burnett County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Johnson Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.

What Johnson Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Clear water12.2 ft of visibility
Boat launch1 documented ramp
Fishing3 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Low 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 Johnson 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Hayward →

Get alerts for Johnson Lake →

Water quality measurements for Johnson Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Johnson 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 12.2 ft. Phosphorus 14.1 µg/L. TSI 42.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	12.2ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	14.1µg/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.	42	Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about Johnson Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Johnson Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

65°

May

71°

Jun

77°

Jul

73°

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (77°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 14 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Johnson Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Johnson Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Johnson 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 1993. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Excellent · Shallow Seepage lake

Trophic State Index 39 (oligotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

23 ft

Surface area

399 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

11 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

3.6 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

958 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Johnson 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 Johnson Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Johnson Lake in Burnett 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 Johnson Lake

Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 Johnson Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass Northern Pike

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Johnson Lake

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).

Water clarity
Improving
7 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-0.5 µg/L/yr7 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Burnett County

Mud Lake—View →Minnow Lake—View →Conners Lake—View →Love Lake11 ft clear—View →Bricher Lake—View →Crooked Lake10.5 ft clear—View →

Frequently asked questions about Johnson Lake

Where is Johnson Lake?: Johnson Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Johnson Lake?: Johnson Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 399 acres.
Is Johnson Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Johnson Lake?: Johnson Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Johnson Lake?: Johnson Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 399 acres.
What fish are in Johnson Lake?: Fish species found in Johnson Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Johnson Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Johnson Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Johnson Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Johnson 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 Johnson Lake?: Johnson Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Johnson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Johnson Lake?: Johnson 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 Johnson Lake across LakeQuality

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State Parks Near Johnson Lake

Straight Lake State Park

State Park · 23.9 mi

Other Lakes in Wisconsin

Dinger Lake

Polk County · 6.2 ft

Big Mckenzie Lake

Washburn County · 10 ft

Lower Mckenzie Lake

Washburn County · 11 ft

Bass Lake

Washburn County · 16 ft

Ward Lake

Polk County · 6 ft

Matthews Lake

Washburn County · 13.3 ft

Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Diamond Lake Dinger Lake Big Mckenzie Lake Lower Mckenzie Lake

Compare Johnson Lake With Nearby Lakes

Johnson Lake vs Yellow Lake

Burnett County · 6 ft

Johnson Lake vs Big Sand Lake

Burnett County · 11 ft

Where this data comes from

52 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX52 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-073054

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

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