Spring Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin236 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Spring Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Spring Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 236 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Spring Lake. DNR survey details →
Spring Lake is a 236-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Spring Lake ranks #42 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Spring Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing4 species recorded
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. 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.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 16.9 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16.9µg/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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Spring Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Spring Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
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 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 2007. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
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. 9 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Catfish Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Cranberry Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Little Saint Germain spring walleye/musky netting survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Lynx Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Otter Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Trout Lake spring summary report, 2025Trout Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Upper and Lower Buckatabon spring musky netting survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2024Presque Isle Chain spring survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Snipe Lake spring survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Surface area
236 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,670 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Spring Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spring 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 Spring Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Spring Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spring Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+7.49 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Spring Lake
Where is Spring Lake?
- Spring 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 Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 236 acres.
Is Spring Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 236 acres.
What fish are in Spring Lake?
- Fish species found in Spring Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Spring Lake is located in Vilas 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 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Spring Lake?
- Public access to Spring 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 Spring Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX42 samples · 2020–2025
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes