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LakeQuality
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Pike Lake

Iron County, WisconsinLimited DataOligotrophic

Pike Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Trophically, Pike Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Within Iron County's 34 graded lakes, Pike Lake ranks 18 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

No invasive species are currently listed at Pike Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Pike Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-06-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent

Crystal clear, you can see 26.2 ft down. Trophic State Index: 30.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)26.2 ftA
PhosphorusNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)30Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Water Quality Trend: Declining

Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-1.232 m/yr3

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #18 of 34 lakes in Iron County

Nearby Lakes in Iron County

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2022-06-08

Monitoring stations: 2