Rinehart Lake
Portage County, Wisconsin43 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Rinehart Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Purple Loosestrife
- 27 ft max depth
- Public access
Rinehart Lake in Portage County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 43 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Rinehart Lake. DNR survey details →
Rinehart Lake is a 43-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Portage County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Portage County, Rinehart Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Rinehart Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water19 ft of visibility
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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 Rinehart 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 Rinehart Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Rinehart Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down. Phosphorus 13.8 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 19ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13.8µg/L | Good 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. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Rinehart Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Rinehart Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Feb (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (37°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 36 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Rinehart Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rinehart Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1993. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
27 ft
Surface area
43 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,093 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Rinehart Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Rinehart Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rinehart 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: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.76 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Portage County
Frequently asked questions about Rinehart Lake
Where is Rinehart Lake?
- Rinehart Lake is a lake in Portage County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Rinehart Lake?
- Rinehart Lake in Portage County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 43 acres.
Is Rinehart Lake 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 Rinehart Lake?
- Rinehart Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 36 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rinehart Lake?
- Rinehart Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 43 acres.
What fish are in Rinehart Lake?
- Fish species found in Rinehart Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Rinehart Lake is located in Portage County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Rinehart Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Rinehart Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rinehart Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Rinehart Lake?
- Public access to Rinehart Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Rinehart Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
39 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_WQX39 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes