Laurel Lake
Oneida County, WisconsinView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Laurel Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Laurel Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.1 µg/L.
Laurel Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Laurel Lake ranks #60 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Laurel Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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. Laurel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Laurel Lake 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 Laurel Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Laurel Lake, 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 3.7 ft. Phosphorus 25.1 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 25.1µg/L | Fair 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. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Laurel Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Laurel Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in Mar (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (37°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Laurel Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Laurel Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (586,138 cells/mL) on May 18, 2024.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Recreation & Access
- Laurel LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Laurel Lake
- Laurel Lake Campground1.0 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Laurel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Laurel Lake in Oneida 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 Laurel Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Laurel Lake’s readings
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Fishing Laurel Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-5.13 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Laurel Lake 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, Fish consumption, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007332 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Laurel Lake
Where is Laurel Lake?
- Laurel Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Laurel Lake?
- Laurel Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.1 µg/L.
Is Laurel Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Laurel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Laurel Lake?
- Laurel Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Does Laurel Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Laurel Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (586,138 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Laurel Lake?
- Laurel Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Laurel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Laurel Lake?
- Laurel Lake 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.
Are there campgrounds on Laurel Lake?
- Laurel Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Laurel Lake Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Laurel Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
59 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX59 samples · 2020–2023
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles