Lake Puckaway
Lake Puckaway in Green Lake County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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 →
- Clarity
- 4.4 ft
- Max depth
- 5 ft
- Area
- 5,013 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Lake Puckaway →
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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 quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. 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 8 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 52.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 52.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Lake Puckaway are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Puckaway
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
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake Puckaway D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 5 ft |
| Surface Area | 5,013 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sherman AvenuePublic
- Dodges AvenuePublic
- Lyons StreetPublic
- Oak RoadPublic
- Charlevoix StreetPublic
- Grand River RoadPublic
Showing 6 of 8 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
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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 data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.39 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.43 µg/L/yr | 5 |
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 7 lakes in Green Lake County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lake Puckaway holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →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. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Puckaway?
- Lake Puckaway in Green Lake County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Lake Puckaway has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake Puckaway D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 8 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sherman Avenue, Dodges Avenue, Lyons Street, Oak Road, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Puckaway across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade D 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)
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
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