Upper Turtle Lake
Barron County, Wisconsin427 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Upper Turtle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Upper Turtle Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 38.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 427 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Upper Turtle Lake. DNR survey details →
Upper Turtle Lake is a 427-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 27 other monitored lakes in Barron County, Upper Turtle Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Upper Turtle Lake covers about 430 acres in Barron County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Upper Turtle Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Upper Turtle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Turtle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Upper Turtle 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 Upper Turtle Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Upper Turtle 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 4 ft. Phosphorus 38.2 µg/L. TSI 57.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 38.2µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 57 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Upper Turtle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Upper Turtle Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Upper Turtle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Upper Turtle Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Turtle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1994. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Upper Turtle Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2021Lower Turtle Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2021Upper Turtle Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
427 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
6.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,161 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Upper Turtle LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Upper Turtle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Turtle Lake in Barron 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 Upper Turtle Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Upper Turtle Lake
- → Upper Turtle Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Upper Turtle Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Upper Turtle Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Upper Turtle Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.34 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Upper Turtle Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004364 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Upper Turtle Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Saputo Cheese Usa Inc AlmenaAlmena · 2.4 mi away · NPDES WI0050725Recent violation
- Scheps Dairy IncAlmena · 1.9 mi away · NPDES WI0066621
- Puris Proteins LlcTurtle Lake, Village Of · 3 mi away · NPDES WI0066273
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.
Nearby Lakes in Barron County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Turtle Lake
Where is Upper Turtle Lake?
- Upper Turtle Lake is a lake in Barron County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Upper Turtle Lake?
- Upper Turtle Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 38.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 427 acres.
Is Upper Turtle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Turtle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Upper Turtle Lake?
- Upper Turtle Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Upper Turtle Lake?
- Upper Turtle Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 427 acres.
What fish are in Upper Turtle Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Turtle Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Upper Turtle Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Upper Turtle Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Upper Turtle Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Turtle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Upper Turtle Lake?
- Upper Turtle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Upper Turtle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Upper Turtle Lake?
- Upper Turtle Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Upper Turtle Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Barron County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
97 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX97 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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