Little Friess Lake
Little Friess Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 16 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Little Friess Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 7.4 ft
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 16 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Little Friess Lake is a 16-acre mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 34 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Little Friess Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-08-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 26.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26.1 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Friess Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Friess Lake in Washington 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 Friess Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Little Friess Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Friess Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Wild MarshPublic
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 Friess 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.054 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.68 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Friess 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 WI10001337 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 13 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Little Friess Lake
Where is Little Friess Lake?
- Little Friess Lake is a lake in Washington County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Friess Lake?
- Little Friess Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 16 acres.
Is Little Friess Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Little Friess Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Friess Lake?
- Little Friess Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 16 acres.
What fish are in Little Friess Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Friess Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Little Friess Lake is located in Washington County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Friess Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Little Friess Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Friess Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Friess Lake?
- Little Friess Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wild Marsh. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Friess Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
57 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX57 samples · 2020–2024
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory