Stone Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Stone Lake pulls an A: clarity at 23.0 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 4 of 47 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.