Rice Lake

Rice Lake earns a D — measurements through 2020 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

At a TSI of 54, Rice Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. At only 3 ft deep, Rice Lake is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. The lake's 122 acres and partial shoreline records put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Rice Lake ranks 135 of 140 in Oneida County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

Rice Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2020, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. 1 fish species are documented at Rice Lake, a mixed warm-water community typical for Wisconsin lakes of this size. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.