Sidie Hollow Lake
Sidie Hollow Lake in Vernon County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 35 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Sidie Hollow Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Max depth
- 22 ft
- Area
- 35 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Sidie Hollow Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Sidie Hollow Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by WI DNR and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Sidie Hollow Lake is a 35-acre lake in Vernon County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. 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 2022-07-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Sidie Hollow Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sidie Hollow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sidie Hollow Lake in Vernon 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 Sidie Hollow Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Sidie Hollow Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Sidie Hollow Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. 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. 4 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Sidie Hollow 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).
- 2024Sidie Hollow Lake fishery survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 22 ft |
| Surface Area | 35 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sidie Hollow County ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sidie Hollow 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 Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -4.5 m/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sidie Hollow Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bad Axe 33 (completed 1965), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the TR SOUTH FORK BAD AXE; earth-type dam, 50 ft tall and 765 ft long.
- Surface area
- 78 ac
- Normal storage
- 417 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,420 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Vernon County
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00414 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Sidie Hollow Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Viroqua Wastewater Treatment FacilityViroqua · 3.9 mi away · NPDES WI0021920Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Sidie Hollow Lake
Sidie Hollow Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Vernon County
Frequently asked questions about Sidie Hollow Lake
Where is Sidie Hollow Lake?
- Sidie Hollow Lake is a lake in Vernon County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Sidie Hollow Lake?
- Sidie Hollow Lake in Vernon County, Wisconsin is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 35 acres.
Is Sidie Hollow Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Sidie Hollow Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Sidie Hollow Lake?
- Sidie Hollow Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 35 acres.
What fish are in Sidie Hollow Lake?
- Fish species found in Sidie Hollow Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Trout. Sidie Hollow Lake is located in Vernon County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sidie Hollow Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Sidie Hollow Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Sidie Hollow Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Sidie Hollow Lake?
- Sidie Hollow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sidie Hollow County Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sidie Hollow Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX3 samples · 2020–2022
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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