La Motte Lake
Menominee County, Wisconsin182 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for La Motte Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Zebra Mussel
- 71 ft max depth
- Limited data
La Motte Lake in Menominee County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 182 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike as abundant on La Motte Lake. DNR survey details →
La Motte Lake is a 182-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Menominee County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 71 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Menominee County, La Motte Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-08-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What La Motte Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.8 ft of visibility
- Deep water71 ft surveyed max depth
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 La Motte 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 La Motte Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for La Motte Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.8 ft down. Phosphorus 13.6 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13.6µg/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. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about La Motte Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
La Motte Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Feb (about 40°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (40°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 54 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full La Motte Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike as abundant on La Motte Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows La Motte 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
71 ft
Surface area
182 acres
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Stays near La Motte Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near La Motte Lake
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Follow La Motte Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing La Motte 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
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.12 µg/L/yr4 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of La Motte Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Keshena WwtfKeshena · 1.1 mi away · NPDES WI0071315Recent violation
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 Menominee County
Frequently asked questions about La Motte Lake
Where is La Motte Lake?
- La Motte Lake is a lake in Menominee County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of La Motte Lake?
- La Motte Lake in Menominee County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 182 acres.
Is La Motte 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 La Motte Lake?
- La Motte Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 54 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is La Motte Lake?
- La Motte Lake has a maximum depth of 71 feet. The lake covers 182 acres.
What fish are in La Motte Lake?
- Fish species found in La Motte Lake include Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. La Motte Lake is located in Menominee County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at La Motte Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike as abundant on La Motte Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows La Motte 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.
Explore La Motte Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
9 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_WQX9 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)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes