Rice Lake
Rice Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 144 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Rice Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 1.7 ft
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 144 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Rice Lake →
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Rice Lake is a 144-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Walworth County, Rice Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-20. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria B
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Rice Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0.8% of 119 samples across 9 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Wisconsin’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 60.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 60.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Rice Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rice Lake in Walworth 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Rice Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Rice Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Rice Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Rice Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 144 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cruise LanePublic
- Whitewater LakePublic
- Rice LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rice 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.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.233 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.82 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Rice Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rice Lake (completed 1968), built primarily for recreation on the Trib Whitewater Creek; earth-type dam, 18 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 137 ac
- Normal storage
- 460 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,140 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 11.8 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00856 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Rice Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001551 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Rice Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Katzman Farms IncLa Grange, Town Of · 3.3 mi away · NPDES WI0064769Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 19 lakes in Walworth County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Rice Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Walworth County
Frequently asked questions about Rice Lake
Where is Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake is a lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 144 acres.
Is Rice Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Rice Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0.8% of 119 samples across 9 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of B — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Rice Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Wisconsin's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
How deep is Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 144 acres.
What fish are in Rice Lake?
- Fish species found in Rice Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Rice Lake is located in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Rice Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Rice Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Rice Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cruise Lane, Whitewater Lake, Rice Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Rice Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin
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Where this data comes from
58 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX58 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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