Star Lake
Oconto County, Wisconsin57 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Star Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Star Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 57 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Star Lake. DNR survey details →
Star Lake is a 57-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Oconto County, Star Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2020-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Star Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
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 Star 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 Star Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Star Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Phosphorus 14.2 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.2µg/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. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Star Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Star Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Star 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 2020).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Star 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).
- 2016Star Lake electrofishing survey, 2016Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2016 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
21 ft
Surface area
57 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,194 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Star LakePublic
- Star 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 Star Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Star Lake in Oconto 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 Star Lake
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Follow Star Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Star 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
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.9 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Oconto County
Frequently asked questions about Star Lake
Where is Star Lake?
- Star Lake is a lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Star Lake?
- Star Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 57 acres.
Is Star Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Star Lake?
- Star Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 57 acres.
What fish are in Star Lake?
- Fish species found in Star Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Star Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Star Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Star Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Star 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 Star Lake?
- Star Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Star Lake, Star Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Star Lake?
- Star Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Star Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX9 samples · 2020
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory