Tahkodah Lake
Tahkodah Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.7 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 9.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Mean depth
- ~16 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Bayfield County
Tahkodah Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin with an estimated average depth of about 16 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 23 other monitored lakes in Bayfield County, Tahkodah Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 13.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Tahkodah Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tahkodah Lake in Bayfield 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.
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Water Temperature
Tahkodah Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 63 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tahkodah Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~16 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Wisconsin has not published bathymetry for Tahkodah Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Tahkodah LakePublic
Fishing Tahkodah Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.477 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.48 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Tahkodah Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10008913 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Tahkodah Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Telemark Interval Owners Association, Inc.Cable · 3.7 mi away · NPDES WI0060640
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 24 lakes in Bayfield County
Nearby Lakes in Bayfield County
Frequently asked questions about Tahkodah Lake
What is the water quality grade for Tahkodah Lake?
- Tahkodah Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.7 µg/L.
Is Tahkodah Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Tahkodah Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Tahkodah Lake?
- Tahkodah Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 63 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Tahkodah Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Tahkodah Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 16 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Tahkodah Lake?
- Tahkodah Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tahkodah Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
126 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX126 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory