Musser Lake
Price County, WisconsinEutrophic
Musser Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. High phosphorus is the leading drag on the score — likely from upland agriculture, lawn runoff, or in-lake sediment release.
Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. The lake bottoms out at 15 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Musser Lake covers 503 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within the 26 graded lakes of Price County, Musser Lake sits at rank 24, near the bottom of the county list.
Musser Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. Walleye are documented at Musser Lake, one of 5 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Musser Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Swimming Safety
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C, Fair
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 61.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.2 ft | B |
| Phosphorus | 61.7 µg/L | D |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 503 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Wisconsin and Minnesota lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Musser Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Musser Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Musser Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Invasive Species
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.296 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5.9 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #24 of 26 lakes in Price County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Musser Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher grade.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Price County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Musser Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
- 2025Musser Flowage netting and shocking survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2024Musser Flowage netting and shocking survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Most recent sample: 2025-09-02
Monitoring stations: 1