Ward Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Ward Lake pulls an A: clarity readings still being added and 17 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 near 45 places Ward Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. Ward Lake reaches 21 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. At 17 acres, Ward Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Ward Lake ranks 29 of 70 in Burnett County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Ward Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 2, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. 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.