Where is Lake of the Falls?

Lake of the Falls is a lake in Iron County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Lake of the Falls?

Lake of the Falls typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 32 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Lake of the Falls?

Lake of the Falls has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 297 acres.

Does Lake of the Falls have blue-green algae?

There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lake of the Falls (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (164,437 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.

Are there boat ramps on Lake of the Falls?

Lake of the Falls has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake of the Falls County Park. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Lake of the Falls?

Lake of the Falls has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Lake of the Falls

Iron County, Wisconsin297 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake of the Falls. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

5.4 ft

Typical for Wisconsin

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

19.6 µg/L

Typical for Wisconsin

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~55°F

Typical for Oct · EPA WQP

Max depth

23 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

297 acres

Surface area

Type

Mesotrophic

Trophic class

Mesotrophic
23 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Lake of the Falls in Iron County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 297 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Lake of the Falls. DNR survey details →

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Lake of the Falls is a 297-acre mesotrophic lake in Iron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Lake of the Falls ranks #8 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Lake of the Falls covers about 300 acres in Iron County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lake of the Falls on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.

What Lake of the Falls is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Fishing6 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Low 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 of the Falls 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Minocqua →

Get alerts for Lake of the Falls →

Water quality measurements for Lake of the Falls

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake of the Falls, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Murky, only visible to about 5.4 ft. Phosphorus 19.6 µg/L. TSI 50.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	5.4ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	19.6µg/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.	50	Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about Lake of the Falls

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Lake of the Falls typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Oct (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

61°

May

70°

Jun

74°

Jul

71°

Aug

67°

Sep

55°

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (74°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 32 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake of the Falls water temperature breakdown →

Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)

No current satellite reading

There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lake of the Falls — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (164,437 cells/mL) on April 27, 2024.

Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Lake of the Falls.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake of the Falls’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 2004. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Excellent · Shallow Lowland lake

Trophic State Index 44 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Musky(Common)Panfish(Common)Northern Pike(Common)Walleye(Common)Largemouth Bass(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

23 ft

Surface area

297 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Lake of the Falls County ParkPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake of the Falls

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake of the Falls in Iron 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 of the Falls

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 of the Falls’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

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Fish Species

Musky Panfish Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike Walleye

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Lake of the Falls

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

Banded Mystery SnailChinese Mystery Snail

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).

Water clarity
Stable
7 years
Phosphorus
Stable
-0.01 µg/L/yr5 years

See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lake of the Falls is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake of The Falls (completed 1895), built primarily for recreation on the TURTLE; earth-type dam, 12 ft tall and 300 ft long.

Surface area: 338 ac
Normal storage: 1,000 ac-ft
Max storage: 3,700 ac-ft
Drainage area: 136 sq mi
Hazard class: Low
Owner: Iron County - Forestry & Parks Department

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00618 · Operator website

Nearby Lakes in Iron County

First Black Lake2.5 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →Third Black Lake—View →Second Black Lake—View →Weber Lake—View →Fox Lake7.3 ft clear—View →Pike Lake6.4 ft clear—View →

Frequently asked questions about Lake of the Falls

Where is Lake of the Falls?: Lake of the Falls is a lake in Iron 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 of the Falls?: Lake of the Falls in Iron County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 297 acres.
Is Lake of the Falls 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 of the Falls?: Lake of the Falls typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 32 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake of the Falls?: Lake of the Falls has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 297 acres.
What fish are in Lake of the Falls?: Fish species found in Lake of the Falls include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Lake of the Falls is located in Iron County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake of the Falls?: Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Lake of the Falls. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake of the Falls’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.
Does Lake of the Falls have blue-green algae?: There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lake of the Falls (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (164,437 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Lake of the Falls?: Lake of the Falls has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake of the Falls County Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake of the Falls?: Lake of the Falls has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

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Where this data comes from

102 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX102 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-263143

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

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory