Kathan Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin214 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Kathan Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
Kathan Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 214 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Kathan Lake. DNR survey details →
Kathan Lake is a 214-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Kathan Lake ranks #54 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Kathan Lake covers about 210 acres in Oneida County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Kathan Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Kathan Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing5 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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 Kathan 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 Kathan Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Kathan Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 29.8 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 29.8µg/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. | 58 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Kathan Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Kathan Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kathan 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Surface area
214 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,631 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Kathan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kathan Lake in Oneida 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 Kathan Lake
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Follow Kathan Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kathan 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: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.3 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Kathan Lake
Where is Kathan Lake?
- Kathan Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Kathan Lake?
- Kathan Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 214 acres.
Is Kathan Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Kathan Lake?
- Kathan Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 214 acres.
What fish are in Kathan Lake?
- Fish species found in Kathan Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Kathan Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Kathan Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Kathan Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kathan 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.
Can I fish at Kathan Lake?
- Public access to Kathan Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Kathan 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 Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX39 samples · 2020–2025
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes