Lower Sugarbush Lake

Lower Sugarbush Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Vilas County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Among the 191 graded lakes in Vilas County, Lower Sugarbush Lake sits at rank 71, above the county median.

Lower Sugarbush Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Lower Sugarbush Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.