Little Lake Butte des Morts
Little Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 133.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 1200 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish, Sturgeon, and Catfish as abundant on Little Lake Butte des Morts. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 1,200 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Little Lake Butte des Morts →
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Little Lake Butte des Morts is a 1,200-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Winnebago County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 8 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Winnebago County, Little Lake Butte des Morts ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 133.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 133.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Little Lake Butte des Morts
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago 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 Little Lake Butte des Morts are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Lake Butte des Morts
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Little Lake Butte des Morts → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish, Sturgeon, and Catfish as abundant on Little Lake Butte des Morts.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Lake Butte des Morts D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 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. 20 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,200 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Fritse ParkPublic
- Jefferson ParkPublic
- Manitowoc StreetPublic
- Recreation ParkPublic
- Doty ParkPublic
- Lutz ParkPublic
Showing 6 of 8 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
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 Lake Butte des Morts
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 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | 0 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +17 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Little Lake Butte des Morts is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Upper Appleton Locks and Dam (completed 1940), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the FOX; concrete-type dam, 18 ft tall and 691 ft long.
- Surface area
- 582 ac
- Normal storage
- 7,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 14,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6,070 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- USACE - Chicago District;Wisconsin DNR
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Navigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00851 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
9 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Little Lake Butte des Morts under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 4 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 7 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Fox West Regional Sewerage Commission WwtfNeenah, City Of · 0.7 mi away · NPDES WI0024686MajorRecent violation
- Sca Tissue North America LlcMenasha · 0.9 mi away · NPDES WI0037389MajorRecent violation
- Neenah Menasha Sewer CommissioMenasha · 1.4 mi away · NPDES WI0026085MajorRecent violation
- Neenah Paper Inc Neenah MillNeenah · 2.1 mi away · NPDES WI0037842MajorRecent violation
- Coveris - Menasha PlantMenasha · 1.3 mi away · NPDES WI0026999Recent violation
- Galloway CompanyNeenah · 2.3 mi away · NPDES WI0027553Recent 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 Winnebago County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Little Lake Butte des Morts holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Winnebago County
Frequently asked questions about Little Lake Butte des Morts
Where is Little Lake Butte des Morts?
- Little Lake Butte des Morts is a lake in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Lake Butte des Morts?
- Little Lake Butte des Morts in Winnebago County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 133.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 1200 acres.
Is Little Lake Butte des Morts safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Little Lake Butte des Morts has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Lake Butte des Morts?
- Little Lake Butte des Morts has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 1200 acres.
What fish are in Little Lake Butte des Morts?
- Fish species found in Little Lake Butte des Morts include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sturgeon, Catfish. Little Lake Butte des Morts is located in Winnebago County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Lake Butte des Morts?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish, Sturgeon, and Catfish as abundant on Little Lake Butte des Morts. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Lake Butte des Morts D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 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 Lake Butte des Morts?
- Little Lake Butte des Morts has 8 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fritse Park, Jefferson Park, Manitowoc Street, Recreation Park, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Lake Butte des Morts across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
18 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX18 samples · 2024–2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory