Potato Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Potato Lake grades a B, with clarity at 32.4 ft and 33 µg/L of phosphorus placing it above the Wisconsin median. Of the three parameters, phosphorus is the worst — at 33 µg/L of phosphorus, it keeps the lake susceptible to algal blooms in warm years.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Potato Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. Potato Lake reaches 20 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 224 acres, Potato Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Within the 48 graded lakes of Washburn County, Potato Lake sits at rank 44, near the bottom of the county list.

An invasive species record — Chinese Mystery Snail — has been logged at Potato Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.