Rice Lake North

The LakeGrade rubric puts Rice Lake North at a C: clarity readings still being added, 44 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 59 signal an intermediate trophic state.

Eutrophic conditions are the baseline here: clarity drops noticeably in late summer, and dissolved oxygen near the bottom can become a concern. Rice Lake North is a shallow lake at 6 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. Rice Lake North covers 201 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Rice Lake North ranks 31 of 34 in Forest County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Rice Lake North has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 3, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.