Pretty Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Pretty Lake pulls an A: clarity at 39.4 ft and 12 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Trophically, Pretty Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. The lake bottoms out at 31 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Pretty Lake is small — 65 acres alongside partial shoreline records — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Pretty Lake ranks 9 of 48 in Waukesha County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Pretty Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. 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.