Lake Buteau
Lincoln County, Wisconsin51 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Buteau. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 50 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lake Buteau in Lincoln County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 51 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Lake Buteau. DNR survey details →
Lake Buteau is a 51-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Lincoln County, Lake Buteau ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lake Buteau covers about 51 acres in Lincoln County. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Lake Buteau, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Lake Buteau is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water19.4 ft of visibility
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water50 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 Lake Buteau 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 Lake Buteau
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake Buteau, 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 19.4 ft down. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. TSI 37.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 19.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/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. | 37 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Lake Buteau
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Lake Buteau.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Buteau’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 1999. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
50 ft
Surface area
51 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,736 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Buteau
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Buteau in Lincoln 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 Lake Buteau
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Lake Buteau’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Buteau
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.97 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Buteau
Where is Lake Buteau?
- Lake Buteau is a lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Buteau?
- Lake Buteau in Lincoln County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 51 acres.
Is Lake Buteau safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Buteau?
- Lake Buteau has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 51 acres.
What fish are in Lake Buteau?
- Fish species found in Lake Buteau include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Lake Buteau is located in Lincoln County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Buteau?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Lake Buteau. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Buteau’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 Lake Buteau across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Lincoln County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
State Parks Near Lake Buteau
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX14 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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