Lake Sherwood
Adams County, Wisconsin216 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Sherwood. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 27 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Sherwood in Adams County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 216 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Sherwood. DNR survey details →
Lake Sherwood is a 216-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Adams County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Adams County, Lake Sherwood ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lake Sherwood covers about 220 acres in Adams County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lake Sherwood on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lake Sherwood is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
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 Sherwood is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Sherwood 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 Sherwood
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake Sherwood, 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 5.5 ft. Phosphorus 22.5 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22.5µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Sherwood
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Sherwood typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Apr (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (52°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Sherwood water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Sherwood.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Sherwood’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. 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 2003. 17 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 Sherwood 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).
- 2021Lake Sherwood late spring shocking survey, 2021Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
27 ft
Surface area
216 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
51 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,001 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake SherwoodPublic
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 Sherwood
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Sherwood in Adams 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 Sherwood
Prices for Oct 16–18, 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 Sherwood’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Sherwood
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: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.95 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Sherwood is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sherwood (completed 1968), built primarily for recreation on the FOURTEEN MILE CREEK; earth-type dam, 36 ft tall and 920 ft long.
- Surface area
- 246 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,516 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 13,800 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 91.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Adams County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00001 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Sherwood 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: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10026706 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Adams County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Sherwood
Where is Lake Sherwood?
- Lake Sherwood is a lake in Adams 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 Sherwood?
- Lake Sherwood in Adams County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 216 acres.
Is Lake Sherwood safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Sherwood is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Sherwood?
- Lake Sherwood typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Sherwood?
- Lake Sherwood has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 216 acres.
What fish are in Lake Sherwood?
- Fish species found in Lake Sherwood include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Lake Sherwood is located in Adams County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Sherwood?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Sherwood. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Sherwood’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Sherwood?
- Lake Sherwood has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Sherwood. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Sherwood?
- Lake Sherwood 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.
Explore Lake Sherwood 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 Adams County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
State Parks Near Lake Sherwood
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
100 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX100 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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