Van Zile Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin78 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Van Zile Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 17 ft max depth
- Public access
Van Zile Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 78 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Van Zile Lake. DNR survey details →
Van Zile Lake is a 78-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 17 feet. 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 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Van Zile Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Van Zile Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Van Zile Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Van Zile 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 Van Zile Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Van Zile 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 5.4 ft. Phosphorus 19.7 µg/L. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 19.7µg/L | Good 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. | 50 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Van Zile Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Van Zile Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Van Zile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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 1988. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
17 ft
Surface area
78 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,555 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Van Zile 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 Van Zile Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Van Zile Lake in Forest 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 Van Zile Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Van Zile Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.29 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Van Zile Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007020 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Van Zile Lake
Where is Van Zile Lake?
- Van Zile Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Van Zile Lake?
- Van Zile Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 78 acres.
Is Van Zile Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Van Zile Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Van Zile Lake?
- Van Zile Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 78 acres.
What fish are in Van Zile Lake?
- Fish species found in Van Zile Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Van Zile Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Van Zile Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Van Zile Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Van Zile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Van Zile Lake?
- Van Zile Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Van Zile Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Van Zile Lake?
- Van Zile 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.
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Where this data comes from
31 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX31 samples · 2020–2025
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
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