Stewart Lake

Stewart Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

Trophically, Stewart Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. At only 12 ft deep, Stewart Lake is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. At 6 acres, Stewart Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 23 graded lakes in Dane County, Stewart Lake ranks 1 — in the top quartile locally.

Stewart Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Chinese Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.