North Pipe Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin64 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for North Pipe Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
North Pipe Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 64 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on North Pipe Lake. DNR survey details →
North Pipe Lake is a 64-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 54 other monitored lakes in Polk County, North Pipe Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What North Pipe Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water37 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. North Pipe Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether North Pipe 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 North Pipe Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for North Pipe Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.8 ft. Phosphorus 29.3 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 29.3µg/L | Fair 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. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about North Pipe Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on North Pipe Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Pipe Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1998. 4 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
37 ft
Surface area
64 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing North Pipe 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.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.97 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
North Pipe Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005006 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about North Pipe Lake
Where is North Pipe Lake?
- North Pipe Lake is a lake in Polk County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of North Pipe Lake?
- North Pipe Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 64 acres.
Is North Pipe Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. North Pipe Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is North Pipe Lake?
- North Pipe Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 64 acres.
What fish are in North Pipe Lake?
- Fish species found in North Pipe Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. North Pipe Lake is located in Polk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at North Pipe Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on North Pipe Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Pipe Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at North Pipe Lake?
- Public access to North Pipe Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
74 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX74 samples · 2020–2026
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes