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LakeQuality

Red Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #8 of 15 lakes in the county · 12 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 253 acres · from A
Mesotrophic

Red Lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 253 acres.

Clarity
12 ft
Max depth
37 ft
Area
253 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Stable
Public access
Yes

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BLeader Lake15.3 ft clear · Douglas CountyView →
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Red Lake is a 253-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Water clarity is improving 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 14 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Red Lake ranks #8 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low algae

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.

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Red Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)12 ftNot graded
Phosphorus12.8 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)41Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Red Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Red Lake in Douglas 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 Red Lake

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

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Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth37 ft
Surface Area253 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
Shoreline
3.1 mi
Elevation
1,056 ft

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

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Red LakePublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing Red 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.

Eurasian Water-Milfoil

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1993. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Excellent · Deep Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 41 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

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

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

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.268 m/yr7
Phosphorus Declining+0.64 µg/L/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #8 of 15 lakes in Douglas County

Nearby Lakes in Douglas County

Frequently asked questions about Red Lake

What is the water quality grade for Red Lake?

Red Lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 253 acres.

Is Red Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Red Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Red Lake?

Red Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 253 acres.

What fish are in Red Lake?

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

Are there boat ramps on Red Lake?

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

Where this data comes from

60 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_WQX60 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

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