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LakeQuality

North Lake

NR
Not yet rated
15 ft clear · Oligotrophic · 79 acres
Limited DataOligotrophic

North Lake in Florence County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 79 acres.

Clarity
15 ft
Max depth
43 ft
Area
79 acres
Trend
Improving
Public access
Yes

Next lake in Florence County

NRWest Lake12 ft clear · Florence CountyView →
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Why North Lake has no grade

We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For North Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).

Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by WI DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

North Lake is a 79-acre lake in Florence County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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PDF

North Lake Water Quality Report Card (2026)

A printable one-page report card for North Lake: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.

Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Eagle River

Get alerts for North Lake

Water quality measurements for North Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)15 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)38Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near North Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Lake in Florence 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 North 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 →

Current Conditions

907.01 ft
Water Elevation

USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM from gauge 05545000 (North Lake Near Elkhorn, WI). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth43 ft
Surface Area79 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
8 sq mi
Shoreline
10.4 mi
Elevation
1,161 ft

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

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • North LakePublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing North 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.

Banded Mystery SnailEurasian Water-MilfoilRusty CrayfishZebra Mussel

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1998. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Abundant)Largemouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)Walleye(Common)Smallmouth Bass(Present)

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.532 m/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Florence County

Frequently asked questions about North Lake

What is the water quality grade for North Lake?

North Lake in Florence County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 79 acres.

Is North Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. North Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is North Lake?

North Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 79 acres.

What fish are in North Lake?

Fish species found in North Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. North Lake is located in Florence County, Wisconsin.

What is the water level at North Lake?

The USGS snapshot on this page for North Lake is 907.01 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM at gauge 05545000. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.

Are there boat ramps on North Lake?

North Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

19 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX19 samples · 2020–2026
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