Rice Lake

Rice Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Wisconsin norms.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. Rice Lake is a shallow lake at 10 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. At 128 acres, Rice Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Rice Lake ranks 37 of 74 in Polk County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Rice Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. 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. 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.