Stone Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Stone Lake pulls an A: clarity at 75.5 ft and 11 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for 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, Stone Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. Stone Lake reaches 49 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 490 acres, Stone Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Stone Lake ranks 12 of 48 in Washburn County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Stone Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. Walleye are documented at Stone Lake, one of 5 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Stone Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.