Mclain Lake
Washburn County, Wisconsin143 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Mclain Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
Mclain Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 143 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Mclain Lake. DNR survey details →
Mclain Lake is a 143-acre mesotrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Mclain Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mclain Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water30 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 Mclain 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 Mclain Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Mclain Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 14.2 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.2µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Mclain Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Mclain Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mclain Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 2003. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Surface area
143 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
988 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Mclain LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mclain Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Mclain Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mclain Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.29 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Washburn County
Frequently asked questions about Mclain Lake
Where is Mclain Lake?
- Mclain Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Mclain Lake?
- Mclain Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 143 acres.
Is Mclain Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Mclain Lake?
- Mclain Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 143 acres.
What fish are in Mclain Lake?
- Fish species found in Mclain Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Mclain Lake is located in Washburn County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mclain Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Mclain Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mclain Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Mclain Lake?
- Mclain Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Mclain Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Mclain Lake?
- Mclain 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.
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Where this data comes from
38 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX38 samples · 2020–2025
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