Wilson Flowage Lake
Wilson Flowage Lake in Price County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 348 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Wilson Flowage Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 11 ft
- Area
- 348 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Wilson Flowage Lake →
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Wilson Flowage Lake is a 348-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Price County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Price County, Wilson Flowage Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 52.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 52.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wilson Flowage Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wilson Flowage Lake in Price 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Wilson Flowage Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Wilson Flowage Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Wilson Flowage Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2024–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wilson Flowage Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Wilson Flowage Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Wilson Flowage Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 3 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. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 348 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Grassy LakePublic
- Wilson LakePublic
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 Wilson Flowage 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 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.065 m/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wilson Flowage Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Jobes (completed 1934), built primarily for recreation on the ELK; gravity-type dam, 16 ft tall and 285 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,237 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 8,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 216 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Price County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00179 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.97 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Wilson Flowage 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 WI10003538 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 13 lakes in Price County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Wilson Flowage Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Price County
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Flowage Lake
Where is Wilson Flowage Lake?
- Wilson Flowage Lake is a lake in Price County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it D for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wilson Flowage Lake?
- Wilson Flowage Lake in Price County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 348 acres.
Is Wilson Flowage Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Wilson Flowage Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wilson Flowage Lake?
- Wilson Flowage Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wilson Flowage Lake?
- Wilson Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 348 acres.
What fish are in Wilson Flowage Lake?
- Fish species found in Wilson Flowage Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Wilson Flowage Lake is located in Price County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wilson Flowage Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Wilson Flowage Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Wilson Flowage Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Wilson Flowage Lake?
- Wilson Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Grassy Lake, Wilson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wilson Flowage 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 Price County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
23 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX23 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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