Is Upper Vermillion 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. Upper Vermillion Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Upper Vermillion Lake?

Upper Vermillion Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 91 acres.

What fish are in Upper Vermillion Lake?

Fish species found in Upper Vermillion Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Upper Vermillion Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Upper Vermillion Lake?

Upper Vermillion Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Upper Vermillion Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Upper Vermillion Lake

Grade D — Nutrient-rich

Nutrient-rich · #28 of 28 lakes in the county · 1.7 ft clear · Hypereutrophic · 91 acres · ↑ from F

Hypereutrophic

Upper Vermillion Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 149 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 91 acres.

Clarity: 1.7 ft
Max depth: 9 ft
Area: 91 acres
Type: Hypereutrophic
Trend: ↑ Improving
Public access: Yes

Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Upper Vermillion Lake →

Find a place to stay →Safe to swim?

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BLower Vermillion Lake9 ft clear · Barron CountyView →

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Upper Vermillion Lake is a 91-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 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 Vermillion Lake ranks #28 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Elevated 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward →

Get alerts for Upper Vermillion Lake →

Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)

Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 149 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 73.

Metric	Value	Grade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)	1.7 ft	Not graded
Phosphorus	149 µg/L	Poor
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)	No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)	73	Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Where to stay near Upper Vermillion Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Vermillion 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Upper Vermillion Lake are listed below.

Top-rated places to stay near Upper Vermillion Lake

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 →

Lake Details

Characteristic	Value
Maximum Depth	9 ft
Surface Area	91 acres
Public Access	Yes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

5 sq mi

Shoreline

2.1 mi

Elevation

1,171 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Upper Vermillion LakePublic

Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass Northern Pike

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

Fishing Upper Vermillion 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.

Curly-Leaf Pondweed

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2024).

DNR Assessment

Poor · Shallow Lowland lake

Trophic State Index 72 (hypereutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

Metric	Trend	Change/Year	Years
Water Clarity	↑ Improving	+0.973 m/yr	7
Phosphorus	↑ Improving	-7.5 µg/L/yr	7

See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

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

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004481 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #28 of 28 lakes in Barron County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Upper Vermillion Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

BLower Vermillion Lake· null mi BBig Dummy Lake· null mi BBeaver Dam Lake· null mi

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Barron County

BLower Vermillion Lake9 ft clear · MesotrophicView →BBig Dummy Lake12 ft clear · MesotrophicView →BSilver Lake13 ft clear · MesotrophicView →BLittle Dummy Lake11 ft clear · MesotrophicView →NRGranite Lake South Basin6 ft clearView →NRLake Thirty4.8 ft clearView →

Frequently asked questions about Upper Vermillion Lake

What is the water quality grade for Upper Vermillion Lake?: Upper Vermillion Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 149 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 91 acres.
Is Upper Vermillion 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. Upper Vermillion Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Upper Vermillion Lake?: Upper Vermillion Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 91 acres.
What fish are in Upper Vermillion Lake?: Fish species found in Upper Vermillion Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Upper Vermillion Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.
Are there boat ramps on Upper Vermillion Lake?: Upper Vermillion Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Upper Vermillion Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

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State Parks Near Upper Vermillion Lake

Straight Lake State Park

State Park · 23.2 mi

Other Grade D Lakes in Wisconsin

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Polk County · 3.7 ft

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Polk County · 5 ft