Pearl Lake
Pearl Lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 101 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Pearl Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 19 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 101 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Pearl Lake is a 101-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Waushara County, Pearl Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Pearl Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pearl Lake in Waushara 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 Pearl Lake
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Water Temperature
Pearl Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pearl Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Pearl Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pearl Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Pearl Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2021Pearl Lake comprehensive summary survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 101 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pearl LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pearl 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.536 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.48 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Pearl Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Redgranite Wastewater Treatment FacilityRedgranite · 4.2 mi away · NPDES WI0020729Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 16 lakes in Waushara County
Nearby Lakes in Waushara County
Frequently asked questions about Pearl Lake
Where is Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake is a lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake in Waushara County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 101 acres.
Is Pearl Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Pearl Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 101 acres.
What fish are in Pearl Lake?
- Fish species found in Pearl Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Pearl Lake is located in Waushara County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pearl Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Pearl Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pearl Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pearl Lake?
- Pearl Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pearl Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pearl Lake across LakeQuality
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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Where this data comes from
47 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX47 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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