Shadow Lake
Waupaca County, Wisconsin44 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Shadow Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Shadow Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 44 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Shadow Lake. DNR survey details →
Shadow Lake is a 44-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 41 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Waupaca County, Shadow Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Shadow Lake covers about 44 acres in Waupaca County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Shadow Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Shadow Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water41 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Shadow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shadow 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 Shadow Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Shadow Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 11.9 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11.9µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Shadow Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Shadow Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shadow Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Shadow Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2021Shadow Lake shocking survey, 2021Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
41 ft
Surface area
44 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Shadow 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 Shadow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shadow Lake in Waupaca 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 Shadow 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 Shadow Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shadow 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 readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-9.77 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Shadow 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.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10000421 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Shadow Lake
Where is Shadow Lake?
- Shadow Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Shadow Lake?
- Shadow Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 44 acres.
Is Shadow Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shadow Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Shadow Lake?
- Shadow Lake has a maximum depth of 41 feet. The lake covers 44 acres.
What fish are in Shadow Lake?
- Fish species found in Shadow Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Shadow Lake is located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Shadow Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Shadow Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shadow Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Shadow Lake?
- Shadow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shadow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Shadow Lake?
- Shadow 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 Shadow Lake across LakeQuality
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
26 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_WQX26 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory