Marl Lake
Marl Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 14 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.6 ft
- Max depth
- 59 ft
- Area
- 14 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Waupaca County
Marl Lake is a 14-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 59 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Waupaca County, Marl Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-11. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Marl Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 10.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Marl Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Marl Lake in Waupaca 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 Marl Lake
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 59 ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Marl Lake LimitedPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Marl 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.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1994. 11 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.527 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.32 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Marl Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hartman Creek Number One (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the HARTMAN CREEK; gravity-type dam, 11 ft tall and 150 ft long.
- Surface area
- 22 ac
- Normal storage
- 103 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 225 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00339 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.91 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Marl Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10016632 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.34 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 21 lakes in Waupaca County
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Marl Lake
What is the water quality grade for Marl Lake?
- Marl Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 14 acres.
Is Marl Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Marl Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Marl Lake?
- Marl Lake has a maximum depth of 59 feet. The lake covers 14 acres.
What fish are in Marl Lake?
- Fish species found in Marl Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Marl Lake is located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
Are there boat ramps on Marl Lake?
- Marl Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Marl Lake Limited. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Marl Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Waupaca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Marl Lake
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
27 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX27 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory