Washburn Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin85 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Washburn Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 27 ft max depth
Washburn Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 85 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Washburn Lake. DNR survey details →
Washburn Lake is a 85-acre mesotrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Washburn Lake ranks #40 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Washburn 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 Washburn Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Washburn Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft. Phosphorus 18.7 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18.7µg/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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Washburn Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Washburn Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°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 (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Washburn Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Washburn Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Washburn 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 2021. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
27 ft
Surface area
85 acres
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,575 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Washburn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Washburn Lake in Oneida 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 Washburn Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Washburn 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.11 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Washburn Lake
Where is Washburn Lake?
- Washburn Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Washburn Lake?
- Washburn Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 85 acres.
Is Washburn Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Washburn Lake?
- Washburn Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in July, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Washburn Lake?
- Washburn Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 85 acres.
What fish are in Washburn Lake?
- Fish species found in Washburn Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Washburn Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Washburn Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Washburn Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Washburn 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.
Explore Washburn Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX40 samples · 2021–2026
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes