Lake Puckaway
Green Lake County, Wisconsin5,013 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Puckaway. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 5 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Puckaway in Green Lake County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 5013 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Lake Puckaway. DNR survey details →
Lake Puckaway is a 5,013-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Green Lake County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 5 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 13 public boat landings. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Green Lake County, Lake Puckaway ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-04-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 5,000 acres, Lake Puckaway is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 13 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Lake Puckaway on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Lake Puckaway is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch13 documented ramps
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Big water5,013 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Lake Puckaway is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Puckaway 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 Puckaway
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake Puckaway, 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 4.4 ft. Phosphorus 52.1 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 52.1µg/L | Poor 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. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Puckaway
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lake Puckaway — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (1,202,264 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Lake Puckaway.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Puckaway’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 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 1987. 9 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Lake Puckaway covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2023Lake Puckaway summary survey, 2023Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
5 ft
Surface area
5,013 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
771 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
30.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
758 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Grand River LocksPublic
- Sherman AvenuePublic
- Dodges AvenuePublic
- Lyons StreetPublic
- Oak RoadPublic
- Charlevoix StreetPublic
Showing 6 of 13 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
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 Puckaway
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Puckaway in Green Lake 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lake Puckaway are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Puckaway
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Puckaway → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Follow Lake Puckaway’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Puckaway
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 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+5.43 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Puckaway is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001012 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Lake Puckaway under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Kingston VillageKingston Tn · 4.9 mi away · NPDES WI0036421Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Green Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Puckaway
Where is Lake Puckaway?
- Lake Puckaway is a lake in Green Lake 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 Puckaway?
- Lake Puckaway in Green Lake County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 5013 acres.
Is Lake Puckaway safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Puckaway is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), turbidity. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Puckaway?
- Lake Puckaway has a maximum depth of 5 feet. The lake covers 5013 acres.
What fish are in Lake Puckaway?
- Fish species found in Lake Puckaway include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Catfish. Lake Puckaway is located in Green Lake County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Puckaway?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Lake Puckaway. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Puckaway’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Lake Puckaway have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lake Puckaway (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (1,202,264 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 Puckaway?
- Lake Puckaway has 13 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Grand River Locks, Sherman Avenue, Dodges Avenue, Lyons Street, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Puckaway?
- Lake Puckaway has 13 documented boat landings 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.
Explore Lake Puckaway across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Green Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Lake Puckaway With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
160 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX160 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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