Lake Montanis

Lake Montanis earns a D — measurements through 2025 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. Secchi readings are the weakest of the scored parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

At a TSI of 64, Lake Montanis reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. At only 14 ft deep, Lake Montanis is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. The lake's 212 acres and partial shoreline records put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within Barron County's 37 graded lakes, Lake Montanis ranks 25 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Lake Montanis has at least one documented invasive species (Banded Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 4 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. 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.