Myrtle Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin28 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Myrtle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 29 ft max depth
- Limited data
Myrtle Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Myrtle Lake. DNR survey details →
Myrtle Lake is a 28-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Myrtle Lake ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2021-08-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Myrtle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.2 ft of visibility
- Fishing3 species recorded
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Myrtle 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 Myrtle Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Myrtle 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 10.2 ft. Phosphorus 17.2 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17.2µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Myrtle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Myrtle Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Myrtle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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 2021).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
29 ft
Surface area
28 acres
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Stays near Myrtle Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Myrtle Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+7.49 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Myrtle Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Little Tamarack Flowage on the Little Tamarack Creek; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 200 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,490 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 25 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Little Tamarack Flowage, Baker Spring Lake District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI20051 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.63 km)
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Myrtle Lake
Where is Myrtle Lake?
- Myrtle Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Myrtle Lake?
- Myrtle Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.
Is Myrtle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Myrtle Lake?
- Myrtle Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 28 acres.
What fish are in Myrtle Lake?
- Fish species found in Myrtle Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass. Myrtle Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Myrtle Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Myrtle Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Myrtle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX11 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes