Oberlin Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin42 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Oberlin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Oberlin Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 42 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Oberlin Lake. DNR survey details →
Oberlin Lake is a 42-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Oberlin 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 Oberlin Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Oberlin Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Oberlin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Oberlin Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Oberlin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 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 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
42 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,637 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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Stays near Oberlin Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Oberlin Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Oberlin Lake
Where is Oberlin Lake?
- Oberlin 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 Oberlin Lake?
- Oberlin Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 42 acres.
Is Oberlin Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Oberlin Lake?
- Oberlin Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 42 acres.
What fish are in Oberlin Lake?
- Fish species found in Oberlin Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Oberlin Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Oberlin Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Oberlin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Oberlin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Oberlin Lake?
- Public access to Oberlin 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
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX5 samples · 2022–2024
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes