Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Little Long Lake

NR
Not yet rated
13.1 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 101 acres
Limited DataMesotrophic

Little Long Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 101 acres.

Clarity
13.1 ft
Typical in August
75°F
Max depth
30 ft
Area
101 acres
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes

Next lake in Forest County

BRoberts Lake11.7 ft clear · Forest CountyView →
Loading map…

Why Little Long Lake has no grade

We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Little Long Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).

Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by WI DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

Little Long Lake is a 101-acre lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Watch Little Long Lake water quality

Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Rhinelander

Get alerts for Little Long Lake

Water quality measurements for Little Long Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft. Trophic State Index: 40.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)13.1 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)40Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Little Long Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Long Lake in Forest 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 Long Lake

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 →

Water Temperature

Little Long Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
63°
Jun
70°
Jul
76°
Aug
75°
Sep
73°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 28 field readings (20242025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Long Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth30 ft
Surface Area101 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Shoreline
2.1 mi
Elevation
1,568 ft

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

Recreation & Access

2
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Richardson LakePublic
  • Shoe LakePublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing Little Long 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailPurple Loosestrife

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1994. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-1.88 m/yr2

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Little Long Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.

  • Forest Sanitary District No 1
    Forest · 1.8 mi away · NPDES WI0060747

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.

Graded lakes near Little Long Lake

Little Long Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Forest County

Frequently asked questions about Little Long Lake

What is the water quality grade for Little Long Lake?

Little Long Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 101 acres.

Is Little Long Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Long Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Little Long Lake?

Little Long Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 28 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Little Long Lake?

Little Long Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 101 acres.

What fish are in Little Long Lake?

Fish species found in Little Long Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Little Long Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Little Long Lake?

Little Long Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Richardson Lake, Shoe Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

23 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX23 samples · 2024–2025
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)

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