Shoal Lake

On the scoring rubric Shoal Lake grades a D: clarity at 5.9 ft and phosphorus readings still being added keep it in the lower bracket for Burnett County.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. A maximum depth of just 5 ft means sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the water column whenever wind stirs the bottom — a classic shallow-lake dynamic. Shoal Lake covers 233 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within the 57 graded lakes of Burnett County, Shoal Lake sits at rank 53, near the bottom of the county list.

Shoal Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2023, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The lake's fish records list 2 species — a varied community without one dominant gamefish. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.