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LakeQuality

Mud Hen Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #8 of 30 lakes in the county · 11 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 569 acres · from A
Limited DataMesotrophic

Mud Hen Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 569 acres.

Clarity
11 ft
Max depth
66 ft
Area
569 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes

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Mud Hen Lake is a 569-acre mesotrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 66 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Mud Hen Lake ranks #8 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited data

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.

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Mud Hen Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 15.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)11 ftNot graded
Phosphorus15.8 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)43Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Mud Hen Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mud Hen Lake in Burnett 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 Mud Hen 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 →

Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)

No current satellite reading

There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Mud Hen Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (48,753 cells/mL) on May 9, 2026.

Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth66 ft
Surface Area569 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
Shoreline
4.3 mi
Elevation
955 ft

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

Recreation & Access

2
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Dunham LakePublic
  • Mud Hen LakePublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing Mud Hen 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedPurple Loosestrife

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1987. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Good · Deep Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 43 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Largemouth Bass(Abundant)Panfish(Common)Northern Pike(Common)

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.625 m/yr5
Phosphorus Declining+0.63 µg/L/yr4
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #8 of 30 lakes in Burnett County

Nearby Lakes in Burnett County

Frequently asked questions about Mud Hen Lake

What is the water quality grade for Mud Hen Lake?

Mud Hen Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 569 acres.

Is Mud Hen Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Mud Hen Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Mud Hen Lake?

Mud Hen Lake has a maximum depth of 66 feet. The lake covers 569 acres.

What fish are in Mud Hen Lake?

Fish species found in Mud Hen Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Mud Hen Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.

Does Mud Hen Lake have blue-green algae?

There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Mud Hen Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (48,753 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.

Are there boat ramps on Mud Hen Lake?

Mud Hen Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dunham Lake, Mud Hen Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

78 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX78 samples · 2020–2025

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

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