Thunder Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin1,794 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Thunder Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 9 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Thunder Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 1794 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Thunder Lake. DNR survey details →
Thunder Lake is a 1,794-acre lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-06-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Thunder Lake covers about 1,800 acres in Oneida County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Thunder Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Thunder Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Big water1,794 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Thunder 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 Thunder Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Thunder 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 5 ft. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5ft | 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. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Thunder Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Thunder Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (105,682 cells/mL) on October 11, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Thunder Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Thunder 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
9 ft
Surface area
1,794 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
12 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
9.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,624 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Thunder Lake - 2Public
- Thunder Lake - 1Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Thunder Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Thunder Lake in Oneida 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 Thunder Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Thunder Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Thunder 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.
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Thunder Lake
Where is Thunder Lake?
- Thunder Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Thunder Lake?
- Thunder Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 1794 acres.
Is Thunder Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Thunder Lake?
- Thunder Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 1794 acres.
What fish are in Thunder Lake?
- Fish species found in Thunder Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Thunder Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Thunder Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Thunder Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Thunder Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Thunder Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Thunder Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (105,682 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Thunder Lake?
- Thunder Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Thunder Lake - 2, Thunder Lake - 1. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Thunder Lake?
- Thunder Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Thunder Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX1 sample · 2022
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
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