Rice Lake
Walworth County, Wisconsin144 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Rice Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
Rice Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 →
Rice Lake is a 144-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 10 feet. 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Rice Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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.
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.
Whether Rice Lake 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
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Rice Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 60.3 µg/L. TSI 66.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 60.3µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 66 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Rice Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Rice Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Max depth
10 ft
Surface area
144 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
11 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
869 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Rice LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Rice Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Rice Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.82 µg/L/yr7 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
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.
Nearby Lakes in Walworth County
Frequently asked questions about Rice Lake
Where is Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake is a lake in Walworth 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?
- Rice Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Rice Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Wisconsin's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach 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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Rice Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Walworth County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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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)
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
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