Little Rice Lake
Little Rice Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 1201 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Little Rice Lake. DNR survey details →
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 1,201 acres
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Little Rice Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: 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 Rice Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
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 Rice Lake is a 1,201-acre lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 10 feet. 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 2021-03-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Little Rice Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Little Rice Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Rice 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 Rice Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Little Rice Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Little Rice Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2021).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,201 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Rice Lake - EastPublic
- Little Rice Lake - SouthPublic
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 Rice 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.
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Little Rice Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Little Rice Lake (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the WOLF RIVER; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 260 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,219 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 45 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00625 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Little Rice 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 WI10000719 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Little Rice Lake
Little Rice Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Little Rice Lake
Where is Little Rice Lake?
- Little Rice Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Little Rice Lake?
- Little Rice Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 1201 acres.
Is Little Rice Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Rice Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Rice Lake?
- Little Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 1201 acres.
What fish are in Little Rice Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Rice Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Little Rice Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Rice Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Little Rice Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Little Rice Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Rice Lake?
- Little Rice Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Rice Lake - East, Little Rice Lake - South. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Rice Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX1 sample · 2021
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