Lake of the Falls
Lake of the Falls in Iron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 297 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 297 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Iron County
Lake of the Falls is a 297-acre mesotrophic lake in Iron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 5.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 19.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Lake of the Falls typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. 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.
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)
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 297 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake of the Falls County ParkPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 2004. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.075 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.01 µg/L/yr | 5 |
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
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 16 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Lake of the Falls
What is the water quality grade for Lake of the Falls?
- Lake of the Falls in Iron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Lake of the Falls has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lake of the Falls?
- Lake of the Falls typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Lake of the Falls across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX102 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory