Where is Scattering Rice Lake?

Scattering Rice Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Scattering Rice Lake?

Scattering Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 263 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Scattering Rice Lake?

Scattering Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Scattering Rice Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Scattering Rice Lake?

Scattering 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.

Scattering Rice Lake

Vilas County, Wisconsin263 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Scattering Rice Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

4.4 ft

Murkier than most

Secchi · sampled 2025

Phosphorus

31.3 µg/L

More phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Max depth

17 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

263 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Trend

Improving

6 years of samples

Eutrophic
Impaired · Cause unknown
Rusty Crayfish
17 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Scattering Rice Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 263 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Scattering Rice Lake. DNR survey details →

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Scattering Rice Lake is a 263-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Scattering Rice Lake ranks #99 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Scattering Rice Lake covers about 260 acres in Vilas County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Scattering Rice Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.

What Scattering Rice Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Fishing6 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Recreation 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.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Scattering Rice Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Scattering 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Eagle River →

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Water quality measurements for Scattering Rice Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Scattering Rice Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft. Phosphorus 31.3 µg/L. TSI 55.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	4.4ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	31.3µg/L	Fair 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.	55	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Scattering Rice Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Scattering Rice Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Scattering Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 1994. 7 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Good · Shallow Lowland lake

Trophic State Index 57 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Musky(Common)Panfish(Common)Walleye(Common)Largemouth Bass(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

17 ft

Surface area

263 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

73 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

3.6 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,614 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Scattering 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 Scattering Rice Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Scattering Rice Lake in Vilas 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Scattering 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 →

Follow Scattering Rice Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Musky Panfish Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike Walleye

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Scattering 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.

Banded Mystery SnailChinese Mystery SnailEurasian Water-MilfoilRusty Crayfish

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

Water clarity
Improving
6 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-3.07 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Scattering 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

Cause unknown

Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007713 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Vilas County

Harmony Lake—View →Tambling Lake—View →Finger Lake11.7 ft clear · Oligotrophic—View →Eagle Lake5 ft clear—View →Spirit Lake12.2 ft clear—View →Dollar Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Scattering Rice Lake

Where is Scattering Rice Lake?: Scattering Rice Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Scattering Rice Lake?: Scattering Rice Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 263 acres.
Is Scattering Rice Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Scattering Rice Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Scattering Rice Lake?: Scattering Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 263 acres.
What fish are in Scattering Rice Lake?: Fish species found in Scattering Rice Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Scattering Rice Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Scattering Rice Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Scattering Rice Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Scattering Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Scattering Rice Lake?: Scattering Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Scattering Rice Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Scattering Rice Lake?: Scattering 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.

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Where this data comes from

54 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX54 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-643102

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

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