Lake Buteau
Lincoln County, WisconsinOligotrophic
Lake Buteau earns an A — every scored parameter (clarity and phosphorus) rates among the best monitored waters in Lincoln County. With clarity and phosphorus scored, the sub-grades cluster within a letter of each other, pointing to stable conditions rather than one specific stressor.
Trophically, Lake Buteau reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. At 50 ft of maximum depth, Lake Buteau stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. The lake is compact at 51 acres, with partial shoreline records and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Lake Buteau ranks 4 of 18 in Lincoln County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.
No invasive species are currently listed at Lake Buteau — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 19.4 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19.4 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | 10.2 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 51 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Wisconsin and Minnesota lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Lake Buteau (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Lake Buteau? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Lake Buteau fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.334 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.86 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 18 lakes in Lincoln County
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Lake Buteau
Other Grade A Lakes in Wisconsin
Washington County · Clarity: 11.8 ft
Washington County · Clarity: 12.6 ft
Walworth County · Clarity: 11 ft
Waukesha County · Clarity: 11.3 ft
Walworth County · Clarity: 20.2 ft
Kenosha County · Clarity: 10 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1999. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Buteau is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10026794 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.22 km)
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Most recent sample: 2025-08-29
Monitoring stations: 2