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LakeQuality

Mud Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #7 of 55 lakes in the county · 4.3 ft clear · Eutrophic · 14 acres · from C
Limited DataEutrophic

Mud Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 14 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as present on Mud Lake. DNR survey details →

Clarity
4.3 ft
Max depth
15 ft
Area
14 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Improving

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Mud Lake is a 14-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Mud Lake ranks #7 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality 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 Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 24.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)4.3 ftNot graded
Phosphorus24.7 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)53Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Mud Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mud Lake in Polk 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 Lake

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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as present on Mud Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mud Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 2024).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Largemouth Bass(Present)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth15 ft
Surface Area14 acres

Fish Species

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

Fishing Mud Lake

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

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.07 m/yr6
Phosphorus Improving-2.8 µg/L/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

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

Causes of impairment

Cause unknown

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005006 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.49 km)

County Ranking

Ranked #7 of 55 lakes in Polk County

Nearby Lakes in Polk County

Frequently asked questions about Mud Lake

Where is Mud Lake?

Mud Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Mud Lake?

Mud Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 14 acres.

Is Mud Lake safe to swim in?

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

How deep is Mud Lake?

Mud Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 14 acres.

What fish are in Mud Lake?

Fish species found in Mud Lake include Largemouth Bass. Mud Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mud Lake?

Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as present on Mud Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Mud Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Where this data comes from

9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX9 samples · 2023–2024

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

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes