Pope Lake
Pope Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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 →
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 21 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Pope Lake is a 21-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria C
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold 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.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus level: 15.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pope Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pope Lake in Waupaca 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 Pope Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Pope Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pope Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 21 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Knight Lake ChannelPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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 data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.527 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.32 µg/L/yr | 6 |
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10016632 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 21 lakes in Waupaca County
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Pope Lake
Where is Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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 works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of C — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Pope Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Wisconsin's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pope Lake?
- Pope Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, 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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pope Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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.
Explore Pope Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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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)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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