Lake Five
Washington County, Wisconsin104 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Five. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 23 ft max depth
Lake Five in Washington County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 104 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Lake Five. DNR survey details →
Lake Five is a 104-acre mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water clarity is declining 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 Washington County, Lake Five ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lake Five covers about 100 acres in Washington County. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Lake Five, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Lake Five is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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 Five 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 Five
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake Five, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 14.2 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.2µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Five
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Five typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (69°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 15 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Five water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Lake Five.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Five’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1990. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
23 ft
Surface area
104 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
974 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Five
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Five in Washington 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 Five
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Lake Five’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Five
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: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.41 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Five
Where is Lake Five?
- Lake Five is a lake in Washington 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 Five?
- Lake Five in Washington County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 104 acres.
Is Lake Five 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 Lake Five?
- Lake Five typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 15 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Five?
- Lake Five has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 104 acres.
What fish are in Lake Five?
- Fish species found in Lake Five include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Lake Five is located in Washington County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Five?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Lake Five. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Five’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Lake Five across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX40 samples · 2020–2026
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes