Lilly Lake is a lake in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Lilly Lake?

Lilly Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 56 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Lilly Lake?

Lilly Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 85 acres.

What fish are in Lilly Lake?

Fish species found in Lilly Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Lilly Lake is located in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.

Can I fish at Lilly Lake?

Public access to Lilly Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.

Lilly Lake

Kenosha County, Wisconsin85 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lilly Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

13.5 ft

Clearer than most

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

13.6 µg/L

Less phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~72°F

Typical for Sep · EPA WQP

Max depth

22 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

85 acres

Surface area

Type

Mesotrophic

Trophic class

Mesotrophic
Curly-Leaf Pondweed
22 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Lilly Lake in Kenosha County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 85 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Lilly Lake. DNR survey details →

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Lilly Lake is a 85-acre mesotrophic lake in Kenosha County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 22 feet. 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 7 other monitored lakes in Kenosha County, Lilly Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Lilly Lake covers about 85 acres in Kenosha County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Lilly Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.

What Lilly Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
Fishing3 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Low algae

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. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Lilly 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.

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Water quality measurements for Lilly Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lilly Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus 13.6 µg/L. TSI 41.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	13.5ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	13.6µg/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.	41	Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Ask about Lilly Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Lilly Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Mar (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

45°

Mar

55°

Apr

65°

May

74°

Jun

80°

Jul

80°

Aug

72°

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (45°F) to its warmest (80°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 56 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lilly Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Lilly Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lilly Lake’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 2002. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2026).

DNR Assessment

Excellent · Deep Seepage lake

Trophic State Index 38 (oligotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Present)Largemouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

22 ft

Surface area

85 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

0 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

1.3 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

758 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lilly Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lilly Lake in Kenosha 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 Lilly Lake

Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 Lilly Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass Northern Pike

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Lilly 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.

Banded Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedEurasian Water-MilfoilHybrid Eurasian / Northern Water-Milfoil

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).

Water clarity
Improving
7 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-0.59 µg/L/yr7 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Kenosha County

Silver Lake7.1 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Lake Mary6.4 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Center Lake—View →Camp Lake—View →Elizabeth Lake—View →Peat Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Lilly Lake

Where is Lilly Lake?: Lilly Lake is a lake in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lilly Lake?: Lilly Lake in Kenosha County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 85 acres.
Is Lilly Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lilly Lake?: Lilly Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 56 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lilly Lake?: Lilly Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 85 acres.
What fish are in Lilly Lake?: Fish species found in Lilly Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Lilly Lake is located in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lilly Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Lilly Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lilly Lake’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.
Can I fish at Lilly Lake?: Public access to Lilly Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Lilly Lake across LakeQuality

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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

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Every Wisconsin lake with its Wisconsin DNR measurements

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Official ratings and named-lake measurements

State Parks Near Lilly Lake

Big Foot Beach State Park

State Park · 10.9 mi

Other Lakes in Wisconsin

Browns Lake

Racine County · 6.2 ft

Tichigan Lake

Racine County · 5.5 ft

Denoon Lake

Waukesha County · 9 ft

Potter Lake

Walworth County · 4.3 ft

Army Lake

Walworth County · 8.2 ft

Lower Phantom Lake

Waukesha County · 6.7 ft

Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Browns Lake Waubeesee Lake Denoon Lake Army Lake

Where this data comes from

97 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX97 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-303126

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.