Round Lake

Round Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Wisconsin lake of its size and depth. High phosphorus is the leading drag on the score — likely from upland agriculture, lawn runoff, or in-lake sediment release.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Round Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. A maximum depth of 27 ft puts Round Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. The lake's 208 acres and partial shoreline records put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within the 70 graded lakes of Burnett County, Round Lake sits at rank 57, near the bottom of the county list.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Round Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. Walleye are documented at Round Lake, one of 5 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Round Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.