Lake Ivanhoe

Lake Ivanhoe sits at a C on the grading scale — not impaired, not pristine, with summer measurements that vary year to year. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Lake Ivanhoe: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. At only 10 ft deep, Lake Ivanhoe is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. At 46 acres, Lake Ivanhoe sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within the 34 graded lakes of Walworth County, Lake Ivanhoe sits at rank 27, near the bottom of the county list.

Lake Ivanhoe carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. A documented public access point at Lake Ivanhoe makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.