Where is Machickanee Flowage Lake?

Machickanee Flowage Lake is a lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Machickanee Flowage Lake?

Machickanee Flowage Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Machickanee Flowage Lake?

Machickanee Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 436 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Machickanee Flowage Lake?

Machickanee Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Machickanee, Iron Bridge. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Machickanee Flowage Lake?

Machickanee Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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.

Machickanee Flowage Lake

Oconto County, Wisconsin436 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Machickanee Flowage Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

3 ft

Murkier than most

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

33.4 µg/L

More phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~71°F

Typical for Aug · EPA WQP

Max depth

21 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

436 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Eutrophic
4 aquatic invasives
21 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Machickanee Flowage Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 436 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Machickanee Flowage Lake. DNR survey details →

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Machickanee Flowage Lake is a 436-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Oconto County, Machickanee Flowage Lake ranks #34 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Machickanee Flowage Lake covers about 440 acres in Oconto County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Machickanee Flowage Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.

What Machickanee Flowage Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch2 documented ramps
Fishing4 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Moderate algae

Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Machickanee Flowage 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.

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Water quality measurements for Machickanee Flowage Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Machickanee Flowage 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 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 33.4 µg/L. TSI 58.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	3ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	33.4µg/L	Fair GoodFairPoor
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.	58	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Machickanee Flowage Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Machickanee Flowage Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

65°

May

74°

Jun

Jul

71°

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (74°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Machickanee Flowage Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Machickanee Flowage Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Machickanee Flowage Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. 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 1992. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Reported

Trophic State Index 49 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Smallmouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

DNR Reports & Resources

Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Machickanee Flowage Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

2017
Machickanee Lake comprehensive survey 2017
Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)

Lake Details

Max depth

21 ft

Surface area

436 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

750 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

6.5 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

617 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

MachickaneePublic
Iron BridgePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Machickanee Flowage Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Machickanee Flowage Lake in Oconto 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 Machickanee Flowage Lake

Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Follow Machickanee Flowage Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Machickanee Flowage 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedEurasian Water-MilfoilHybrid Eurasian / Northern Water-MilfoilPurple LoosestrifeZebra MusselFlowering Rush

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).

Water clarity
Improving
6 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-1.13 µg/L/yr7 years

See year-by-year chart →

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Machickanee Flowage Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 4 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.

Kimberly Clark Corporation Marinette
Marinette · 3.3 mi away · NPDES WI0000540
MajorRecent violation
St Paper Llc
Oconto · 3.9 mi away · NPDES WI0000531
MajorRecent violation
Oconto Falls Wastewater Treatment Facility
Oconto Falls · 3.3 mi away · NPDES WI0022870
Recent violation
Springside Cheese Corporation
Oconto Falls · 3.8 mi away · NPDES WI0053015
Recent violation

Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.

Nearby Lakes in Oconto County

Porcupine Lake10.5 ft clear—View →Porcupine Lake6.5 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →Balcom Lake—View →Rost Lake—View →Round Lake16.8 ft clear · Oligotrophic—View →Kelly Lake10.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →

Frequently asked questions about Machickanee Flowage Lake

Where is Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Machickanee Flowage Lake is a lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Machickanee Flowage Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 436 acres.
Is Machickanee Flowage Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Machickanee Flowage Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Machickanee Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 436 acres.
What fish are in Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Fish species found in Machickanee Flowage Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike. Machickanee Flowage Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Machickanee Flowage Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Machickanee Flowage Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Machickanee Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Machickanee, Iron Bridge. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Machickanee Flowage Lake?: Machickanee Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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.

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State Parks Near Machickanee Flowage Lake

Copper Culture State Park

State Park · 8.6 mi

Other Lakes in Wisconsin

Osnuhsa Lake

Brown County · 5.6 ft

White Clay Lake

Shawano County · 5 ft

Yankee Lake

Marinette County · 3 ft

Shawano Lake

Shawano County · 5.9 ft

Harpt Lake

Manitowoc County · 3.5 ft

Upper Red Lake

Shawano County · 7.5 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Osnuhsa Lake White Clay Lake Quarry Lake Yankee Lake

Compare Machickanee Flowage Lake With Nearby Lakes

Machickanee Flowage Lake vs Archibald Lake

Oconto County · 17.8 ft

Where this data comes from

43 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX43 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-433123

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

Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)

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