Little St. Germain Lake-West Bay-at St. Germain

Little St. Germain Lake-West Bay-at St. Germain earns an F: 238 µg/L of phosphorus and clarity readings still being added signal heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 83 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. The lake's 53 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. Little St. Germain Lake-West Bay-at St. Germain covers 972 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Little St. Germain Lake-West Bay-at St. Germain ranks 191 of 191 in Vilas County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Little St. Germain Lake-West Bay-at St. Germain, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. Walleye are documented at Little St. Germain Lake-West Bay-at St. Germain, one of 6 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Little St. Germain Lake-West Bay-at St. Germain makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.