Whitewater Lake

Whitewater Lake sits at a C on the grading scale — not impaired, not pristine, with summer measurements that vary year to year. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Wisconsin norms.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. The lake bottoms out at 35 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 625 acres, Whitewater Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Whitewater Lake sits at rank 21 of 35 in Walworth County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Zebra mussel presence at Whitewater Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. Walleye are documented at Whitewater Lake, one of 4 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Whitewater Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.