Leota Lake
Leota Lake in Rock County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 77 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 36 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Leota Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 36 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Leota Lake →
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Leota Lake is a 36-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rock County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Rock County, Leota Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Leota Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 9 samples across 9 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.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 77 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 69.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 77 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Leota Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Leota Lake in Rock 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 Leota Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Leota Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Leota Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Leota Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 2012. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 36 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Leota Lake
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 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.331 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.39 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Leota Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Leota (completed 1950), built primarily for recreation on the ALLEN CREEK; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 520 ft long.
- Surface area
- 41 ac
- Normal storage
- 220 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 21 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- City of Evansville
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00811 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Leota Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10009847 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Leota Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Embarrass Wastewater TreatmentEvansville · 1.4 mi away · NPDES WI0023949Recent violation
- Evansville Wastewater Treatment FacilityEvansville · 1.7 mi away · NPDES WI0023957Recent violation
- Larson Acres, Inc.Evansville · 4.4 mi away · NPDES WI0059412Recent violation
- Brooklyn Wastewater Treatment FacilityBrooklyn · 4.6 mi away · NPDES WI0023485Recent 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 #2 of 2 lakes in Rock County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Leota Lake holds Grade D. 2 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 Rock County
Frequently asked questions about Leota Lake
Where is Leota Lake?
- Leota Lake is a lake in Rock County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Leota Lake?
- Leota Lake in Rock County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 77 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 36 acres.
Is Leota Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Leota Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 9 samples across 9 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Leota Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Wisconsin's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
How deep is Leota Lake?
- Leota Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 36 acres.
What fish are in Leota Lake?
- Fish species found in Leota Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Leota Lake is located in Rock County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Leota Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Leota Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Leota Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Leota Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX46 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes