Shannon Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin35 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Shannon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Shannon Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 35 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Shannon Lake. DNR survey details →
Shannon Lake is a 35-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Trout. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-08-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Shannon Lake covers about 35 acres in Vilas County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Shannon Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Shannon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shannon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shannon 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 Shannon Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Shannon Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus 16.5 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16.5µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| 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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Shannon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Shannon Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shannon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Surface area
35 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
0.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,634 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Shannon 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 Shannon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shannon 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 Shannon 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 Shannon Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shannon Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.01 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Shannon 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: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10026107 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Shannon Lake
Where is Shannon Lake?
- Shannon 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 Shannon Lake?
- Shannon Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 35 acres.
Is Shannon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shannon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Shannon Lake?
- Shannon Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 35 acres.
What fish are in Shannon Lake?
- Fish species found in Shannon Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Trout. Shannon Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Shannon Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Shannon Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shannon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Shannon Lake?
- Shannon Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shannon Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Shannon Lake?
- Shannon 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 Shannon Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX3 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity in Water
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
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