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LakeQuality

Pine Ridge Lake

Oconto County, Wisconsin37 acresView mapDirections

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pine Ridge Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity
17 ft
Clearer than most
Secchi · sampled 2024
Phosphorus
11 µg/L
Less phosphorus than most
Measured by Wisconsin DNR
Max depth
30 ft
Bathymetric survey
Area
37 acres
Surface area
Type
Oligotrophic
Trophic class
Trend
Improving
7 years of samples
  • Oligotrophic
  • 30 ft max depth
  • Limited data

Pine Ridge Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 37 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Pine Ridge Lake. DNR survey details →

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Pine Ridge Lake is a 37-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Oconto County, Pine Ridge Lake ranks #25 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-04-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Pine Ridge Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

  • Clear water17 ft of visibility
  • Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Limited data

Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Pine Ridge Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Pine Ridge Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Pine Ridge Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. TSI 38.

Water quality readings
MeasureReadingWhere it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)17ftMeasured, not scored

How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.

Total phosphorus11µg/LGood
GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)No reading

The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.

Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.38Oligotrophic
OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.

Ask about Pine Ridge Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Pine Ridge Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pine Ridge Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 2024).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)

Lake Details

Max depth

30 ft

Surface area

37 acres

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

2 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

1.1 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,191 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Pine Ridge Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pine Ridge Lake in Oconto 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 Pine Ridge Lake

Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

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Follow Pine Ridge Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Pine Ridge 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailEurasian Water-Milfoil

Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).

  • Water clarity

    Improving

    4 years

  • Phosphorus

    Stable

    +0.06 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Oconto County

Frequently asked questions about Pine Ridge Lake

Where is Pine Ridge Lake?

Pine Ridge Lake is a lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water quality of Pine Ridge Lake?

Pine Ridge Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 37 acres.

Measurements on this page ↑

Is Pine Ridge Lake safe to swim in?

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Swimming on this page ↑

How deep is Pine Ridge Lake?

Pine Ridge Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 37 acres.

What fish are in Pine Ridge Lake?

Fish species found in Pine Ridge Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Pine Ridge Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.

Fish on this page ↑

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pine Ridge Lake?

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Pine Ridge Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pine Ridge Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

DNR on this page ↑

Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX15 samples · 2020–2024

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.

Other records on this page

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes