Pope Lake
Waupaca County, Wisconsin21 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pope Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
Pope Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 21 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Pope Lake. DNR survey details →
Pope Lake is a 21-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Waupaca County, Pope Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Pope Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water40 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Pope Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 6.5% of 123 samples across 9 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Wisconsin’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Pope 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.
Water quality measurements for Pope Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Pope 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 16 ft down. Phosphorus 15.6 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.6µg/L | Good 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. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pope Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pope Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pope Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Pope Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pope Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1994. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
40 ft
Surface area
21 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Knight Lake ChannelPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Pope Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pope 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: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.32 µg/L/yr6 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pope Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hartman Creek Number One (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the HARTMAN CREEK; gravity-type dam, 11 ft tall and 150 ft long.
- Surface area
- 22 ac
- Normal storage
- 103 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 225 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00339 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.66 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Pope Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10016632 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Pope Lake
Where is Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 21 acres.
Is Pope Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Pope Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 6.5% of 123 samples across 9 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Pope Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Wisconsin's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 21 acres.
What fish are in Pope Lake?
- Fish species found in Pope Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pope Lake is located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pope Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Pope Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pope Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Knight Lake Channel. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Pope Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
45 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX45 samples · 2020–2026
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory