Lower Springstead Lake

Lower Springstead Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Lower Springstead Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. A maximum depth of 27 ft puts Lower Springstead Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. The lake is compact at 97 acres, with partial shoreline records and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Within the 33 graded lakes of Iron County, Lower Springstead Lake sits at rank 25, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at Lower Springstead Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 6 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.