Marl Lake
Waushara County, Wisconsin28 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Marl Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
Marl Lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Marl Lake. DNR survey details →
Marl Lake is a 28-acre mesotrophic lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Waushara County, Marl Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Marl Lake covers about 28 acres in Waushara County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Marl Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Marl Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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 Marl 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 Marl Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Marl Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 15.6 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.6µg/L | Good 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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Marl Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Marl Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Oct (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Marl Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Marl Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Marl Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 1989. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Marl 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).
- 2023Marl Lake spring shocking survey, 2023Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
35 ft
Surface area
28 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,007 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Marl Lake County 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 Marl Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Marl Lake in Waushara 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
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 Marl Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.51 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Waushara County
Frequently asked questions about Marl Lake
Where is Marl Lake?
- Marl Lake is a lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Marl Lake?
- Marl Lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.
Is Marl 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 Marl Lake?
- Marl Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Marl Lake?
- Marl Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 28 acres.
What fish are in Marl Lake?
- Fish species found in Marl Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Marl Lake is located in Waushara County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Marl Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Marl Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Marl Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 County Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Marl Lake?
- Marl 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 Marl Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Waushara County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Marl Lake
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
60 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_WQX60 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
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