Little Friess Lake
Washington County, Wisconsin16 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Friess Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
Little Friess Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 →
Little Friess Lake is a 16-acre mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 34 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Friess Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water34 ft surveyed max depth
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. Little Friess Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Friess 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 Little Friess Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Little Friess Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.4 ft. Phosphorus 26.1 µg/L. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 26.1µg/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. | 50 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Friess Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Little Friess Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Friess Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Max depth
34 ft
Surface area
16 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Wild MarshPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Friess Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Friess Lake
- → Little Friess Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Friess Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Friess Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Friess Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.68 µg/L/yr7 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001337 · Official waterbody report
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. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Friess Lake?
- Little Friess Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Little Friess Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Friess Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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.
Can I fish at Little Friess Lake?
- Little Friess 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.
Explore Little Friess Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory