Newman Lake
Price County, WisconsinOligotrophic
Newman Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.
The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake bottoms out at 45 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 90 acres, Newman Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within Price County's 27 graded waters, Newman Lake sits at rank 2, near the top of the local distribution.
Newman Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2023, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. 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 2023-08-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Newman Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Good clarity, visible to about 12.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 27.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.9 ft | B |
| Phosphorus | 2 µg/L | A |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 27 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 90 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
→ Best fishing times for Newman Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Newman Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Newman Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -3.9 m/yr | 2 |
Recreation & Access
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 27 lakes in Price County
Nearby Lakes in Price County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Wisconsin
Washington County · Clarity: 11.8 ft
Washington County · Clarity: 12.6 ft
Walworth County · Clarity: 11 ft
Waukesha County · Clarity: 11.3 ft
Walworth County · Clarity: 20.2 ft
Kenosha County · Clarity: 10 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2004).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
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
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2023-08-22
Monitoring stations: 1
Where to stay near Newman Lake
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