Peterson Lake

Peterson Lake pulls a D on the LakeGrade rubric — phosphorus loading and limited clarity hold it below the Wisconsin average. High phosphorus is the leading drag on the score — likely from upland agriculture, lawn runoff, or in-lake sediment release.

At a TSI of 59, Peterson Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake's 56 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. The lake is compact at 9 acres, with partial shoreline records and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Within the 66 graded lakes of Oconto County, Peterson Lake sits at rank 66, near the bottom of the county list.

Peterson Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2020, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The lake's fish records list 1 species — a varied community without one dominant gamefish. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.