Rice Lake North
Forest County, Wisconsin201 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Rice Lake North. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 6 ft max depth
Rice Lake North in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 201 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Rice Lake North. DNR survey details →
Rice Lake North is a 201-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 6 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Rice Lake North ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Rice Lake North is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Rice Lake North is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Rice Lake North
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Rice Lake North, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.2 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 60µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Rice Lake North
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Rice Lake North typically sits around 80°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rice Lake North water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Rice Lake North.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rice Lake North’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages.
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Rice Lake North covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2022Little Rice Flowage fisheries summary, 2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
6 ft
Surface area
201 acres
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Stays near Rice Lake North
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rice Lake North
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Phosphorus
Improving-3.3 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.25 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Rice Lake North
Where is Rice Lake North?
- Rice Lake North is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Rice Lake North?
- Rice Lake North in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 60 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 201 acres.
Is Rice Lake North safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Rice Lake North?
- Rice Lake North typically sits around 80°F at the surface in July, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rice Lake North?
- Rice Lake North has a maximum depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 201 acres.
What fish are in Rice Lake North?
- Fish species found in Rice Lake North include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Rice Lake North is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Rice Lake North?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Rice Lake North. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rice Lake North’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Rice Lake North across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
68 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Sokaogon Chippewa Community (Tribal)
SOKAOGON_WQX68 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 200.7 M ~ ICP-AES For Trace Element Analysis
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes