Whitewater Lake
Whitewater Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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 →
- Clarity
- 4 ft
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 625 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Whitewater Lake is a 625-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus level: 26.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Whitewater Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 625 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Town Line RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.201 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.82 µg/L/yr | 7 |
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
EPA Impairment Status
Whitewater Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001551 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.63 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 19 lakes in Walworth County
Nearby Lakes in Walworth County
Frequently asked questions about Whitewater Lake
Where is Whitewater Lake?
- Whitewater Lake is a lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Whitewater Lake?
- Whitewater Lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Whitewater Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Whitewater Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Town Line Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Whitewater Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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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)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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