Little Arbor Vitae Lake
Little Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 480 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Arbor Vitae Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Max depth
- 32 ft
- Area
- 480 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Little Arbor Vitae Lake is a 480-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Little Arbor Vitae Lake ranks #101 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 31.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 31.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Little Arbor Vitae Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas 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 Little Arbor Vitae Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Arbor Vitae Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Arbor Vitae Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 1990. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Surface Area | 480 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake - SouthPublic
- Little Arbor Vitae LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Arbor Vitae 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 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.225 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -4.03 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Arbor Vitae 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 WI10007641 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #101 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Little Arbor Vitae Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Little Arbor Vitae Lake
Where is Little Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Little Arbor Vitae Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Little Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 480 acres.
Is Little Arbor Vitae Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Little Arbor Vitae Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Little Arbor Vitae Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 480 acres.
What fish are in Little Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Arbor Vitae Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Little Arbor Vitae Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Arbor Vitae Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Arbor Vitae Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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.
Are there boat ramps on Little Arbor Vitae Lake?
- Little Arbor Vitae Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Arbor Vitae Lake - South, Little Arbor Vitae Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Arbor Vitae Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
34 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX34 samples · 2020–2026
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory