Pella Lake
Pella Lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 63.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 49 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Smallmouth Bass as common on Pella Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Max depth
- 13 ft
- Area
- 49 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Pella Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: 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 Pella 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 and phosphorus, but not 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.
Pella Lake is a 49-acre lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 13 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Smallmouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-06-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Pella Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 63.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 64.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 63.7 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Pella Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pella Lake in Shawano 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 Pella Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Smallmouth Bass as common on Pella Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Pella Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. 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 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Pella 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).
- 2022Pella Pond spring netting survey, 2022Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 49 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pella PondPublic
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 Pella 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +2.5 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -26.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pella Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pella (completed 1883), built primarily for recreation on the EMBARRASS; gravity-type dam, 18 ft tall and 213 ft long.
- Surface area
- 69 ac
- Normal storage
- 315 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 460 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 334 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- TOWN OF PELLA
All listed purposes: Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00202 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pella Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10000009 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Pella Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Caroline Sd 1 Wastewater Treatment FacilityGrant · 3.3 mi away · NPDES WI0022829Recent violation
- Oak Grove Dairy IncPella · 1.8 mi away · NPDES WI0052957
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.
Graded lakes near Pella Lake
Pella Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Shawano County
Frequently asked questions about Pella Lake
Where is Pella Lake?
- Pella Lake is a lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Pella Lake?
- Pella Lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 63.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 49 acres.
Is Pella Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Pella 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 Pella Lake?
- Pella Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 49 acres.
What fish are in Pella Lake?
- Fish species found in Pella Lake include Panfish, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike. Pella Lake is located in Shawano County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pella Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Smallmouth Bass as common on Pella Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Pella Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pella Lake?
- Pella Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pella Pond. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pella Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX7 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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