Swan Lake
Columbia County, Wisconsin407 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Swan Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 82 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Swan Lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 82 ft. Surface area: 407 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Swan Lake. DNR survey details →
Swan Lake is a 407-acre lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 82 feet. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Swan Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water82 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Swan Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Swan 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 Swan Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Swan Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. TSI 55.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 55 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Swan Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Swan Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Swan Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1988. 12 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
82 ft
Surface area
407 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
71 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
5.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
778 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Swan 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 Swan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Swan Lake in Columbia 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 Swan Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Swan 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.
EPA Impairment Status
Swan Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10000772 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Swan Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Portage Wastewater Treatment FacilityPortage · 2 mi away · NPDES WI0020427MajorRecent violation
- Wisconsin Power & Light Co ColumbiaPortage · 4.6 mi away · NPDES WI0002780Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Columbia County
Frequently asked questions about Swan Lake
Where is Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake is a lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 82 ft. Surface area: 407 acres.
Is Swan Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Swan Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake has a maximum depth of 82 feet. The lake covers 407 acres.
What fish are in Swan Lake?
- Fish species found in Swan Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Swan Lake is located in Columbia County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Swan Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Swan Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Swan Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Swan Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Swan Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX9 samples · 2025–2026
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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