Tainter Lake
Tainter Lake in Dunn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 121.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 1605 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Tainter Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 3.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 37 ft
- Area
- 1,605 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Tainter Lake →
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Tainter Lake is a 1,605-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dunn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2026. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 6 public boat landings. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Dunn County, Tainter Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-11. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 121.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 121.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Tainter Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tainter Lake in Dunn 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Tainter Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Tainter Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Tainter Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Water Temperature
Tainter Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 44 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tainter Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Tainter Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (1,629,296 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Tainter Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Tainter Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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 1989. 11 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Tainter Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2022Tainter Lake spring survey, 2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,605 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Chapany ParkPublic
- NorthwestPublic
- Lambs Creek ParkPublic
- KleistPublic
- Peninsula ParkPublic
- Russian SloughPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Tainter 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.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.044 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.34 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Tainter Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10006634 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Dunn County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Tainter Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Dunn County
Frequently asked questions about Tainter Lake
Where is Tainter Lake?
- Tainter Lake is a lake in Dunn County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Tainter Lake?
- Tainter Lake in Dunn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 121.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 1605 acres.
Is Tainter Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Tainter Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Tainter Lake?
- Tainter Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 44 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Tainter Lake?
- Tainter Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 1605 acres.
What fish are in Tainter Lake?
- Fish species found in Tainter Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Tainter Lake is located in Dunn County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Tainter Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Tainter Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Tainter Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Tainter Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Tainter Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (1,629,296 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Tainter Lake?
- Tainter Lake has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Chapany Park, Northwest, Lambs Creek Park, Kleist, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Tainter Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Dunn County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Tainter Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
385 measurements from 4 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_WQX385 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
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