Jordan Pond
Portage County, Wisconsin84 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Jordan Pond. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 7 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Jordan Pond in Portage County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 →
Jordan Pond is a 84-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Portage County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 7 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 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Jordan Pond is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Jordan Pond 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 Jordan Pond
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Jordan Pond, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus 35.6 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 35.6µg/L | Fair 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. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Jordan Pond
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Jordan Pond.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Jordan Pond’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Max depth
7 ft
Surface area
84 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
168 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,119 ft
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
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Stays near Jordan Pond
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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 readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-8.2 µg/L/yr2 years
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.
Nearby Lakes in Portage County
Frequently asked questions about Jordan Pond
Where is Jordan Pond?
- Jordan Pond is a lake in Portage County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Jordan Pond?
- Jordan Pond in Portage County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Jordan Pond’s water-quality measurements separately, 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.
Can I fish at Jordan Pond?
- Jordan Pond 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 Jordan Pond across LakeQuality
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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)
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