Milwaukee River Lake
Milwaukee County, WisconsinEutrophic
Milwaukee River Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.
Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. 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. Milwaukee River Lake sits at rank 10 of 15 in Milwaukee County, in the lower half of the local distribution.
Milwaukee River Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Milwaukee River Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-11-05. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C, Fair
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Chlorophyll-a: 15 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 56.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.9 ft | D |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 15 µg/L | C |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.089 m/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +8.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 15 lakes in Milwaukee County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Milwaukee River Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Milwaukee County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Milwaukee River Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Most recent sample: 2025-11-05
Monitoring stations: 1