Tainter Lake

The LakeGrade rubric puts Tainter Lake at a C: clarity at 12.3 ft, 124 µg/L of phosphorus, and a TSI of 57 signal an intermediate trophic state. Phosphorus is the parameter holding the grade back — runoff from the surrounding watershed appears to keep nutrient levels elevated through the summer.

At a TSI of 57, Tainter Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 37 ft puts Tainter Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. Tainter Lake covers 1,605 acres alongside partial shoreline records, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Within Dunn County's 3 graded lakes, Tainter Lake ranks 2 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Tainter Lake is on the Wisconsin infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 5 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.