White Mound Lake
Sauk County, Wisconsin93 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for White Mound Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
White Mound Lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 93 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on White Mound Lake. DNR survey details →
White Mound Lake is a 93-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Sauk County, White Mound Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
White Mound Lake covers about 93 acres in Sauk County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near White Mound Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What White Mound Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. White Mound Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether White Mound 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 White Mound Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for White Mound Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus 30.1 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30.1µg/L | Fair 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. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about White Mound Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
White Mound Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Sep (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (72°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full White Mound Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on White Mound Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows White Mound Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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 1980. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Surface area
93 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
915 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Whitemound County ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near White Mound Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White Mound Lake in Sauk 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 White Mound Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing White Mound Lake
- → White Mound Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → White Mound Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → White Mound Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from White Mound Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.52 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
White Mound Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Plain Honey Creek 3 (completed 1970), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Shannahan Branch, Honey Creek; earth-type dam, 45 ft tall and 1,070 ft long.
- Surface area
- 104 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,220 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,850 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Sauk County
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Recreation;Debris Control.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00392 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
White Mound Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10002687 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of White Mound Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Hill Point Sanitary District WwtfWashington · 4.2 mi away · NPDES WI0035483Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Sauk County
Frequently asked questions about White Mound Lake
Where is White Mound Lake?
- White Mound Lake is a lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of White Mound Lake?
- White Mound Lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 93 acres.
Is White Mound Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. White Mound Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of White Mound Lake?
- White Mound Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is White Mound Lake?
- White Mound Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 93 acres.
What fish are in White Mound Lake?
- Fish species found in White Mound Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. White Mound Lake is located in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at White Mound Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on White Mound Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows White Mound Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on White Mound Lake?
- White Mound Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Whitemound County Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at White Mound Lake?
- White Mound Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore White Mound Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
94 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX94 samples · 2020–2026
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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