Lake Wissota
Chippewa County, Wisconsin6,148 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Wissota. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 64 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Wissota in Chippewa County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 76.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 64.4 ft. Surface area: 6148 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Lake Wissota. DNR survey details →
Lake Wissota is a 6,148-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 64 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Chippewa County, Lake Wissota ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 6,100 acres, Lake Wissota is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 4 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 Wissota on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Lake Wissota is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
- Fishing8 species recorded
- Deep water64.4 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water6,148 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Lake Wissota never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 36 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Wisconsin’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Lake Wissota 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 Wissota
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake Wissota, 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 3.5 ft. Phosphorus 76.4 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 76.4µg/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. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Wissota
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Lake Wissota.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Wissota’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 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 1990. 21 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 Wissota 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).
- 2024Lake Wissota fisheries survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
64.4 ft
Surface area
6,148 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- 176th Street BridgePublic
- 197th Street BridgePublic
- Pumphouse RoadPublic
- Chippewa Rod & Gun ClubSemi-private
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 Wissota
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Wissota in Chippewa 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 Wissota are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Wissota
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Wissota → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Follow Lake Wissota’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Wissota
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 readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Improving-2.3 µg/L/yr2 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Wissota is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wissota (completed 1917), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Chippewa River; gravity-type dam, 68 ft tall and 7,800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 6,212 ac
- Normal storage
- 56,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 56,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5,528 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Northern States Power Co
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00730 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Lake Wissota under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Northern Wisconsin Center For Dev DisabledChippewa Falls · 3.2 mi away · NPDES WI0039144
- Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing CoChippewa Falls · 4.4 mi away · NPDES WI0004316
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 Chippewa County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Wissota
Where is Lake Wissota?
- Lake Wissota is a lake in Chippewa 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 Wissota?
- Lake Wissota in Chippewa County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 76.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 64.4 ft. Surface area: 6148 acres.
Is Lake Wissota safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Lake Wissota never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 36 samples across 3 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Lake Wissota is safe to swim in today is a call for Wisconsin's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Wissota?
- Lake Wissota has a maximum depth of 64.4 feet. The lake covers 6148 acres.
What fish are in Lake Wissota?
- Fish species found in Lake Wissota include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sturgeon, Catfish. Lake Wissota is located in Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Wissota?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Lake Wissota. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Wissota’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 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 Wissota?
- Lake Wissota has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include 176th Street Bridge, 197th Street Bridge, Pumphouse Road, Chippewa Rod & Gun Club. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Wissota?
- Lake Wissota has 4 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 Wissota 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 Chippewa County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Chippewa River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Lake Wissota
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Compare Lake Wissota With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
109 measurements from 5 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_WQX109 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory