Spirit Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin348 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Spirit Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Purple Loosestrife
- 39 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Spirit Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 348 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Spirit Lake. DNR survey details →
Spirit Lake is a 348-acre mesotrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 39 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. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Spirit Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-11-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Spirit Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water39 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. Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Spirit 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 Spirit Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Spirit 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 11.4 µg/L. TSI 40.
| 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 | 11.4µg/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. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Spirit Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Spirit Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spirit 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 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
39 ft
Surface area
348 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Spirit Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spirit 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: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-4.65 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Spirit 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 WI10007441 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Spirit Lake
Where is Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 348 acres.
Is Spirit Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 348 acres.
What fish are in Spirit Lake?
- Fish species found in Spirit Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Spirit Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Spirit Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Spirit Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spirit 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.
Can I fish at Spirit Lake?
- Public access to Spirit Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Spirit Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX21 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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