Virgin Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Virgin Lake pulls an A: clarity at 20.5 ft and 18 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI value of 40 puts Virgin Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. A maximum depth of 31 ft puts Virgin Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. The lake's 261 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. Virgin Lake ranks 23 of 140 in Oneida County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Virgin 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 6 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.