Lotus Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin246 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lotus Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lotus Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 246 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Lotus Lake. DNR survey details →
Lotus Lake is a 246-acre lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lotus Lake covers about 250 acres in Polk County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Lotus Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Lotus Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lotus Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lotus 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 Lotus Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lotus Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lotus Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Lotus Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lotus Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is stable. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 2011. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Surface area
246 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
945 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lotus ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lotus Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lotus Lake in Polk 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 Lotus Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Lotus Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lotus 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.
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Stable3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Lotus Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004948 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Lotus Lake
Where is Lotus Lake?
- Lotus Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lotus Lake?
- Lotus Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 246 acres.
Is Lotus Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lotus Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lotus Lake?
- Lotus Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 246 acres.
What fish are in Lotus Lake?
- Fish species found in Lotus Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Lotus Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lotus Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Lotus Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lotus Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Lotus Lake?
- Lotus Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lotus Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lotus Lake?
- Lotus 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 Lotus Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX8 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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