White Clay Lake

White Clay Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Wisconsin lake of its size and depth. Of the three parameters, phosphorus is the worst — at 32 µg/L of phosphorus, it keeps the lake susceptible to algal blooms in warm years.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Wisconsin lakes fall. White Clay Lake reaches 46 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake's 236 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. Within Shawano County's 27 graded lakes, White Clay Lake ranks 20 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

White Clay Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. Walleye are documented at White Clay Lake, one of 4 fish species on record for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.