Jordan Pond
Jordan Pond in Portage County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 84 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Jordan Pond. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 4 ft
- Max depth
- 7 ft
- Area
- 84 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Portage County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Jordan Pond is a 84-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Portage County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 7 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2022. 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 13 other monitored lakes in Portage County, Jordan Pond ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Jordan Pond water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus level: 35.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 56.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 35.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Jordan Pond
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jordan Pond in Portage 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 Jordan Pond
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 →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Jordan Pond.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Jordan Pond C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 7 ft |
| Surface Area | 84 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Jordan ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Jordan Pond
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: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.25 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -8.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Jordan Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Jordan (completed 1850), built primarily for recreation on the BIG PLOVER; gravity-type dam, 17 ft tall and 150 ft long.
- Surface area
- 83 ac
- Normal storage
- 298 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 470 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 148 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Portage County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00025 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Jordan Pond under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Recre Acres Mobile Home ParkHull · 1.9 mi away · NPDES WI0056014
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 14 lakes in Portage County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Jordan Pond holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Portage County
Frequently asked questions about Jordan Pond
Where is Jordan Pond?
- Jordan Pond is a lake in Portage County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Jordan Pond?
- Jordan Pond in Portage County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 84 acres.
Is Jordan Pond safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Jordan Pond has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Jordan Pond?
- Jordan Pond has a maximum depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 84 acres.
What fish are in Jordan Pond?
- Fish species found in Jordan Pond include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Jordan Pond is located in Portage County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Jordan Pond?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Jordan Pond. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Jordan Pond C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Jordan Pond?
- Jordan Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Jordan Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Jordan Pond across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Portage County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Jordan Pond
Other Grade C Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
19 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX19 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
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