Porcupine Lake

Porcupine Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Wisconsin lake of its size and depth. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Porcupine Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. 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 Oconto County's 62 graded lakes, Porcupine Lake ranks 43 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

No invasive species are currently listed at Porcupine Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Porcupine Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.