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LakeQuality

Kekegama Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #27 of 27 lakes in the county · 5.2 ft clear · Eutrophic · 128 acres
Eutrophic

Kekegama Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 128 acres.

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike as abundant on Kekegama Lake. DNR survey details →

Clarity
5.2 ft
Typical in August
73°F
Max depth
24 ft
Area
128 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes

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Kekegama Lake is a 128-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining 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 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Kekegama Lake ranks #27 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Moderate

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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Kekegama Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 26.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)5.2 ftNot graded
Phosphorus26.7 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)52Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Kekegama Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kekegama Lake in Washburn 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 Kekegama Lake

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 →

Water Temperature

Kekegama Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Feb (about 34°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
34°
Mar
Apr
52°
May
64°
Jun
74°
Jul
75°
Aug
73°
Sep
63°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (20252025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kekegama Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike as abundant on Kekegama Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Kekegama Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1992. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Abundant)Largemouth Bass(Abundant)Northern Pike(Abundant)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth24 ft
Surface Area128 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
Shoreline
2.6 mi
Elevation
1,214 ft

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

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Kekagama LakePublic

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 Kekegama 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailPurple Loosestrife

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Phosphorus Declining+12.6 µg/L/yr2

County Ranking

Ranked #27 of 27 lakes in Washburn County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Kekegama Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Washburn County

Frequently asked questions about Kekegama Lake

Where is Kekegama Lake?

Kekegama Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Kekegama Lake?

Kekegama Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 128 acres.

Is Kekegama Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Kekegama Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Kekegama Lake?

Kekegama Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Kekegama Lake?

Kekegama Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 128 acres.

What fish are in Kekegama Lake?

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

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Kekegama Lake?

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike as abundant on Kekegama Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Kekegama Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Are there boat ramps on Kekegama Lake?

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

Where this data comes from

17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX17 samples · 2025–2026

Analytical methods

  • Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
  • 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

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