Wind Lake
Wind Lake in Racine County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 176 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 919 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Wind Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 8.7 ft
- Max depth
- 47 ft
- Area
- 919 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Wind Lake is a 919-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Racine County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 47 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Racine County, Wind Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Wind Lake water quality
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Wind Lake Water Quality Report Card (2026)
A printable one-page report card for Wind Lake: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 176 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 176 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wind Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wind Lake in Racine 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 Wind Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM from gauge 424848088083100 (Wind Lake at Outlet at Wind Lake, WI). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Wind Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (55,976 cells/mL) on June 22, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Wind Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Wind Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. 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. 13 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 47 ft |
| Surface Area | 919 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wind 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 Wind 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.516 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -12.45 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.27 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wind Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wind Lake (completed 1905), built primarily for recreation on the MUSKEGO CREEK; gravity-type dam, 7 ft tall and 120 ft long.
- Surface area
- 936 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,740 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,550 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 35 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Racine County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI01115 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 4 lakes in Racine County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Wind Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Racine County
Frequently asked questions about Wind Lake
Where is Wind Lake?
- Wind Lake is a lake in Racine County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wind Lake?
- Wind Lake in Racine County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 176 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 919 acres.
Is Wind Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Wind Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Wind Lake?
- Wind Lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet. The lake covers 919 acres.
What fish are in Wind Lake?
- Fish species found in Wind Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Catfish. Wind Lake is located in Racine County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wind Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Wind Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Wind Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
What is the water level at Wind Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Wind Lake is 8.21 ft of gage height, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM at gauge 424848088083100. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Does Wind Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Wind Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (55,976 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Wind Lake?
- Wind Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wind Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wind 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 Racine 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
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Wind Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Wind Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
193 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX103 samples · 2020–2026 - USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center
USGS-WI90 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity in Water
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
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