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St. Johns Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #17 of 23 lakes in the county · 10 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 107 acres · from A
Mesotrophic

St. Johns Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 107 acres.

Clarity
10 ft
Typical in July
78°F
Max depth
21 ft
Area
107 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Declining

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St. Johns Lake is a 107-acre mesotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, St. Johns Lake ranks #17 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-06. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low algae

Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Rhinelander

Get alerts for St. Johns Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)10 ftNot graded
Phosphorus14.9 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)44Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near St. Johns Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near St. Johns Lake in Forest 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 St. Johns Lake

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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Water Temperature

St. Johns Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Mar (about 41°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
41°
Apr
48°
May
Jun
74°
Jul
78°
Aug
Sep
71°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (20242026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full St. Johns Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth21 ft
Surface Area107 acres

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Elevation
1,585 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing St. Johns Lake

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 2022. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).

DNR Assessment
Good · Shallow Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 51 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Walleye(Present)

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.243 m/yr7
Phosphorus Declining+1.95 µg/L/yr3
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #17 of 23 lakes in Forest County

Nearby Lakes in Forest County

Frequently asked questions about St. Johns Lake

What is the water quality grade for St. Johns Lake?

St. Johns Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 107 acres.

Is St. Johns Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. St. Johns Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of St. Johns Lake?

St. Johns Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in July, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is St. Johns Lake?

St. Johns Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 107 acres.

What fish are in St. Johns Lake?

Fish species found in St. Johns Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. St. Johns Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.

Where this data comes from

64 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX64 samples · 2022–2026

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes