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LakeQuality

Poskin Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #21 of 28 lakes in the county · 4 ft clear · Eutrophic · 154 acres
Eutrophic

Poskin Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 154 acres.

Clarity
4 ft
Typical in August
72°F
Max depth
30 ft
Area
154 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes

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BLower Vermillion Lake9 ft clear · Barron CountyView →
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Poskin Lake is a 154-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 27 other monitored lakes in Barron County, Poskin Lake ranks #21 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Moderate

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.

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Poskin Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus level: 29.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)4 ftNot graded
Phosphorus29.3 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)55Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Poskin Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Poskin Lake in Barron 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 Poskin Lake

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

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Water Temperature

Poskin Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Jun (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
69°
Jul
77°
Aug
72°
Sep
71°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (20242025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Poskin Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth30 ft
Surface Area154 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
60 sq mi
Shoreline
2.9 mi
Elevation
1,142 ft

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

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Poskin LakePublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing Poskin 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 SnailCurly-Leaf Pondweed

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1999. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Fair · Deep Lowland lake
Trophic State Index 59 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Largemouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)Panfish(Present)Walleye(Present)

DNR Reports & Resources

Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Poskin Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.488 m/yr4
Phosphorus Declining+1.81 µg/L/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Poskin Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004479 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #21 of 28 lakes in Barron County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Poskin Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Barron County

Frequently asked questions about Poskin Lake

What is the water quality grade for Poskin Lake?

Poskin Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 154 acres.

Is Poskin Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Poskin Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Poskin Lake?

Poskin Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Poskin Lake?

Poskin Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 154 acres.

What fish are in Poskin Lake?

Fish species found in Poskin Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Poskin Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Poskin Lake?

Poskin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Poskin Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

42 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX42 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

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory