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.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 26.2 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 30 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.232 m/yr | 3 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 34 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Wisconsin
Waukesha County · Clarity: 14.6 ft
Waukesha County · Clarity: 13.8 ft
Walworth County · Clarity: 19 ft
Washington County · Clarity: 12 ft
Kenosha County · Clarity: 10.1 ft
Washington County · Clarity: 12.5 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
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