Lac Vieux Desert Lake
Lac Vieux Desert Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 4017 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Lac Vieux Desert Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 5.7 ft
- Max depth
- 38 ft
- Area
- 4,017 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Vilas County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Lac Vieux Desert Lake is a 4,017-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 38 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Lac Vieux Desert Lake ranks #89 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-10-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Lac Vieux Desert Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Lac Vieux Desert Lake Water Quality Report Card (2026)
A printable one-page report card for Lac Vieux Desert Lake: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 5.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 28.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 28.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Lac Vieux Desert Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lac Vieux Desert Lake in Vilas 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 Lac Vieux Desert 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 →
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:45 AM from gauge 05390100 (Lac Vieux Desert Near Land O'Lakes, WI). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lac Vieux Desert Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (67,920 cells/mL) on October 26, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Lac Vieux Desert Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lac Vieux Desert Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is stable. 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. 5 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 38 ft |
| Surface Area | 4,017 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Lac Vieux DesertPublic
- Sugar Maple Lake - SouthPublic
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 Lac Vieux Desert 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.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.3 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.55 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lac Vieux Desert Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lac Vieux Desert (completed 1907), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Wisconsin River; gravity-type dam, 9 ft tall and 27 ft long.
- Max storage
- 49,173 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 34 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI01138 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #89 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Lac Vieux Desert Lake
Where is Lac Vieux Desert Lake?
- Lac Vieux Desert Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lac Vieux Desert Lake?
- Lac Vieux Desert Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 4017 acres.
Is Lac Vieux Desert Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Lac Vieux Desert Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Lac Vieux Desert Lake?
- Lac Vieux Desert Lake has a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake covers 4017 acres.
What fish are in Lac Vieux Desert Lake?
- Fish species found in Lac Vieux Desert Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Lac Vieux Desert Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lac Vieux Desert Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Lac Vieux Desert Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lac Vieux Desert Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
What is the water level at Lac Vieux Desert Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Lac Vieux Desert Lake is 1680.66 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:45 AM at gauge 05390100. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Does Lac Vieux Desert Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lac Vieux Desert Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (67,920 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Lac Vieux Desert Lake?
- Lac Vieux Desert Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lac Vieux Desert, Sugar Maple Lake - South. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lac Vieux Desert Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Lac Vieux Desert Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
32 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_WQX32 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
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