Mole Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin77 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Mole Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 17 ft max depth
- Public access
Mole Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 77 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Mole Lake. DNR survey details →
Mole Lake is a 77-acre mesotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 17 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 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Mole Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mole Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Mole Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 5 samples across 2 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Wisconsin’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Mole 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 Mole Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Mole 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 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 15.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.3 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | 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) | 1.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Mole Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mole Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 74°F) and coldest in Nov (about 40°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (40°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mole Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Mole Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mole Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 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 2023. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
17 ft
Surface area
77 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
56 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,545 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Mole LakeSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mole Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mole Lake in Forest 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 Mole Lake
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Follow Mole Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mole 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: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-7.37 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.43 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Mole Lake
Where is Mole Lake?
- Mole Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Mole Lake?
- Mole Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 77 acres.
Is Mole Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Mole Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 5 samples across 2 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Mole Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Wisconsin's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Mole Lake?
- Mole Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mole Lake?
- Mole Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 77 acres.
What fish are in Mole Lake?
- Fish species found in Mole Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Mole Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mole Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Mole Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mole Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Mole Lake?
- Mole Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Mole Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Mole Lake?
- Mole 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 Mole Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Sokaogon Chippewa Community (Tribal)
SOKAOGON_WQX45 samples · 2020–2025 - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX20 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 200.7 M ~ ICP-AES For Trace Element Analysis
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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