Skip to main content
LakeQuality
A

White Lake

Marquette County, WisconsinOligotrophic

On the LakeGrade rubric, White Lake pulls an A: clarity at 59.1 ft and 11 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's 60 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. White Lake is small — 81 acres alongside partial shoreline records — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. White Lake ranks 2 of 14 in Marquette County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at White Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 4 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. 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.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-11-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent

Crystal clear, you can see 59.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 28.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)59.1 ftA
Phosphorus10.8 µg/LA
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)28Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth60 ft
Surface Area81 acres

Fish Species

Click a species to see all Wisconsin and Minnesota lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for White Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from White Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

White Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Invasive Species

Banded Mystery SnailEurasian Water-Milfoil

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-1.268 m/yr7
Phosphorus Improving-0.39 µg/L/yr6

Location

Loading map…

County Ranking

Ranked #2 of 14 lakes in Marquette County

Nearby Lakes in Marquette County

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2026).

DNR Assessment
Excellent · Deep Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 40 (oligotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

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

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes

Most recent sample: 2025-11-23

Monitoring stations: 1