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LakeQuality

Mineral Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #3 of 3 lakes in the county · 4.1 ft clear · Eutrophic · 227 acres
Eutrophic

Mineral Lake in Ashland County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 227 acres.

Clarity
4.1 ft
Typical in August
71°F
Max depth
29 ft
Area
227 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes

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Mineral Lake is a 227-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ashland County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Ashland County, Mineral Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Moderate

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.

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Mineral Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 28.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)4.1 ftNot graded
Phosphorus28.2 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)54Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Mineral Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mineral Lake in Ashland 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 Mineral 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 →

Water Temperature

Mineral Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
45°
May
Jun
Jul
70°
Aug
71°
Sep
64°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (20242025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mineral Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth29 ft
Surface Area227 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
33 sq mi
Shoreline
4.8 mi
Elevation
1,378 ft

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

Recreation & Access

4
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Potter LakePublic
  • Mineral LakePublic
  • Lake ThreePublic
  • English LakeSemi-private

Fish Species

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

Fishing Mineral Lake

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Good · Deep Lowland lake
Trophic State Index 51 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Musky(Common)Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Present)Walleye(Present)

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.137 m/yr4
Phosphorus Declining+1.55 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Mineral Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10008925 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #3 of 3 lakes in Ashland County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Mineral Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Ashland County

Frequently asked questions about Mineral Lake

What is the water quality grade for Mineral Lake?

Mineral Lake in Ashland County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 227 acres.

Is Mineral Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Mineral Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Mineral Lake?

Mineral Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Mineral Lake?

Mineral Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 227 acres.

What fish are in Mineral Lake?

Fish species found in Mineral Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Mineral Lake is located in Ashland County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Mineral Lake?

Mineral Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Potter Lake, Mineral Lake, Lake Three, English Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

36 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX36 samples · 2021–2026

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

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