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Trego Lake

Washburn County, WisconsinLimited DataMesotrophic

Trego Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Wisconsin lakes fall. Trego Lake reaches 36 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake's 383 acres and partial shoreline records put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Trego Lake ranks 11 of 47 in Washburn County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Trego Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 7 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-06. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent

No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 18 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No data
Phosphorus18 µg/LA
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)46Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth36 ft
Surface Area383 acres
Public AccessYes

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

→ Best fishing times for Trego Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Trego Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

Trego Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

Chinese Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedEurasian Water-MilfoilHybrid Eurasian / Northern Water-Milfoil

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #11 of 47 lakes in Washburn County

Nearby Lakes in Washburn County

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Abundant)Largemouth Bass(Common)Smallmouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)Walleye(Common)Musky(Present)Sturgeon(Present)

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Trego Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Trego (completed 1927), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Namekagon River; gravity-type dam, 39 ft tall and 625 ft long.

Surface area
470 ac
Normal storage
4,700 ac-ft
Max storage
4,700 ac-ft
Drainage area
488 sq mi
Hazard class
Significant
Owner
Northern States Power Co

All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Recreation.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00812 · Operator website

EPA Impairment Status

Trego Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).

Causes of impairment

Cause unknown

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005676 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes

Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory

Most recent sample: 2026-05-06

Monitoring stations: 1

Where to stay near Trego Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Trego Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip.

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