Lake Wissota

Lake Wissota pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Wisconsin average. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. The lake's 64 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. With 6,148 acres of surface and partial shoreline records, Lake Wissota is a large water by Wisconsin standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Within the 15 graded lakes of Chippewa County, Lake Wissota sits at rank 13, near the bottom of the county list.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Lake Wissota, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 8 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. A documented public access point at Lake Wissota makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.