Whitewater Lake
Walworth County, Wisconsin625 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Whitewater Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
Whitewater Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 625 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Whitewater Lake. DNR survey details →
Whitewater Lake is a 625-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Walworth County, Whitewater Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Whitewater Lake covers about 630 acres in Walworth County. It has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Whitewater Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Whitewater Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Whitewater 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 Whitewater Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Whitewater 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 4 ft. Phosphorus 26.2 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 26.2µg/L | Good 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. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Whitewater Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Whitewater Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (619,441 cells/mL) on May 2, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Whitewater Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Whitewater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 1986. 9 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
35 ft
Surface area
625 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
10.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
873 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cruise LanePublic
- Whitewater LakePublic
- Town Line RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Whitewater Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Whitewater Lake in Walworth 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 Whitewater Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Whitewater Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Whitewater 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.82 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Whitewater Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Whitewater Lake (completed 1925), built primarily for recreation on the Inlet to Rice Lake; gravity-type dam, 11 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 640 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,700 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 70 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Walworth County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00322 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Walworth County
Frequently asked questions about Whitewater Lake
Where is Whitewater Lake?
- Whitewater Lake is a lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Whitewater Lake?
- Whitewater Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 625 acres.
Is Whitewater Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Whitewater Lake?
- Whitewater Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 625 acres.
What fish are in Whitewater Lake?
- Fish species found in Whitewater Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Whitewater Lake is located in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Whitewater Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Whitewater Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Whitewater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Whitewater Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Whitewater Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (619,441 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Whitewater Lake?
- Whitewater Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cruise Lane, Whitewater Lake, Town Line Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Whitewater Lake?
- Whitewater Lake has 3 documented boat landings 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 Whitewater Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Walworth County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Whitewater Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Whitewater Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
174 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX174 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
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