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LakeQuality

Wilke Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #2 of 16 lakes in the county · 7 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 93 acres
Mesotrophic

Wilke Lake in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 93 acres.

Clarity
7 ft
Max depth
21 ft
Area
93 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Improving
Public access
Yes

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BShoe Lake7 ft clear · Manitowoc CountyView →
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Wilke Lake is a 93-acre mesotrophic lake in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 15 other monitored lakes in Manitowoc County, Wilke Lake ranks #2 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Oshkosh

Get alerts for Wilke Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 17.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)7 ftNot graded
Phosphorus17.1 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)47Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Wilke Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wilke Lake in Manitowoc 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 Wilke Lake

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 →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth21 ft
Surface Area93 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Shoreline
1.6 mi
Elevation
896 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Wilke LakePublic

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Wilke 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.

Curly-Leaf PondweedEurasian Water-Milfoil

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 2003. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).

DNR Assessment
Good · Deep Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 45 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

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

DNR Reports & Resources

Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Wilke Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.157 m/yr6
Phosphorus Improving-0.55 µg/L/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Wilke Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.

  • Henning'S Cheese Inc
    Schleswig, Town Of · 0.4 mi away · NPDES WI0070572

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.

County Ranking

Ranked #2 of 16 lakes in Manitowoc County

Nearby Lakes in Manitowoc County

Frequently asked questions about Wilke Lake

What is the water quality grade for Wilke Lake?

Wilke Lake in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 93 acres.

Is Wilke Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Wilke Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Wilke Lake?

Wilke Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 93 acres.

What fish are in Wilke Lake?

Fish species found in Wilke Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Wilke Lake is located in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Wilke Lake?

Wilke Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wilke Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

51 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX51 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
  • Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
  • 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)

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

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