Mirror Lake
Waupaca County, Wisconsin14 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Mirror Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Mirror Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 14 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Mirror Lake. DNR survey details →
Mirror Lake is a 14-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 43 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. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Waupaca County, Mirror Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mirror Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water43 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Mirror Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Mirror 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 Mirror Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Mirror 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 13 ft. Phosphorus 16.3 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16.3µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Mirror Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Mirror Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mirror Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
43 ft
Surface area
14 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Mirror Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mirror 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 readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-9.77 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Mirror Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10009407 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Mirror Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Waupaca Wastewater Treatment FacilityWaupaca · 0.8 mi away · NPDES WI0030490MajorRecent violation
- Waupaca Foundry, Inc. Plant No. 1Waupaca · 0.6 mi away · NPDES WI0026379Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Mirror Lake
Where is Mirror Lake?
- Mirror Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Mirror Lake?
- Mirror Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 14 acres.
Is Mirror Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Mirror Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Mirror Lake?
- Mirror Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 14 acres.
What fish are in Mirror Lake?
- Fish species found in Mirror Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout. Mirror Lake is located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mirror Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Mirror Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mirror Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Mirror Lake?
- Public access to Mirror Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Mirror Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
25 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_WQX25 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes