Spring Lake
Columbia County, Wisconsin27 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Spring Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 32 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Spring Lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 83.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 27 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Spring Lake. DNR survey details →
Spring Lake is a 27-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Columbia County, Spring Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-09-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Spring Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water32 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Spring Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Spring 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 Spring Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Spring Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 83.3 µg/L. TSI 68.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 83.3µg/L | Poor 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. | 68 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Spring Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Spring Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spring Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Spring Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2018Swan and Spring lakes comprehensive survey 2018Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2011Spring Lake comprehensive survey 2011Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2011 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
32 ft
Surface area
27 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Spring 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 Spring Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spring Lake in Columbia 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Spring Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Spring Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spring 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 (2020–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Stable-1.6 µg/L/yr3 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Spring Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pardeeville (completed 1849), built primarily for recreation on the FOX R.; gravity-type dam, 16 ft tall and 230 ft long.
- Surface area
- 312 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,050 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 56 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Village Of Pardeeville
All listed purposes: Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00113 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.52 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Spring 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, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10009334 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Spring Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Sonoco Protective Solutions, Inc.Pardeeville · 0.2 mi away · NPDES WI0055328
- Pardeeville Wastewater Treatment FacilityPardeeville · 0.5 mi away · NPDES WI0021644
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.
Nearby Lakes in Columbia County
Frequently asked questions about Spring Lake
Where is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake is a lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 83.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 27 acres.
Is Spring Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Spring Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 27 acres.
What fish are in Spring Lake?
- Fish species found in Spring Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Spring Lake is located in Columbia County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Spring Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Spring Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spring Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spring Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Spring Lake?
- Spring 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 Spring Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX12 samples · 2022–2023
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory