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LakeQuality

Waubee Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #35 of 39 lakes in the county · 13.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 116 acres · from A
Limited DataMesotrophic

Waubee Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 116 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Waubee Lake. DNR survey details →

Clarity
13.5 ft
Max depth
23 ft
Area
116 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes

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Waubee Lake is a 116-acre mesotrophic lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Oconto County, Waubee Lake ranks #35 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-07-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited data

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.

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Rhinelander

Get alerts for Waubee Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 26.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)13.5 ftNot graded
Phosphorus26.7 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)46Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Waubee Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Waubee Lake in Oconto 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 Waubee 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 →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Waubee Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Waubee Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 2006. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Musky(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)Walleye(Present)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth23 ft
Surface Area116 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Shoreline
2.5 mi
Elevation
1,165 ft

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

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Waubee LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Fish Species

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

Fishing Waubee 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.

Banded Mystery SnailChinese Mystery SnailEurasian Water-Milfoil

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.6 m/yr5
Phosphorus Declining+11.4 µg/L/yr2
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #35 of 39 lakes in Oconto County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

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

Nearby Lakes in Oconto County

Frequently asked questions about Waubee Lake

Where is Waubee Lake?

Waubee Lake is a lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Waubee Lake?

Waubee Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 116 acres.

Is Waubee Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Waubee Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Waubee Lake?

Waubee Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 116 acres.

What fish are in Waubee Lake?

Fish species found in Waubee Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Waubee Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Waubee Lake?

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Waubee Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Waubee Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Are there boat ramps on Waubee Lake?

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

Where this data comes from

22 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX22 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.

Other records on this page

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