Windigo Lake
Sawyer County, Wisconsin503 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Windigo Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 51 ft max depth
- Public access
Windigo Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 503 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Windigo Lake. DNR survey details →
Windigo Lake is a 503-acre mesotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 51 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Windigo Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-08-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Windigo Lake covers about 500 acres in Sawyer County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Windigo Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Windigo Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water51 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. Windigo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Windigo 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 Windigo Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Windigo Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus 15.6 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.6µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Windigo Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Windigo Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Windigo Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
51 ft
Surface area
503 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
6.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,283 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- LandgrafPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Windigo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Windigo Lake in Sawyer 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 Windigo Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 Windigo Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Windigo Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.75 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Windigo Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004070 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Windigo Lake
Where is Windigo Lake?
- Windigo Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Windigo Lake?
- Windigo Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 503 acres.
Is Windigo Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Windigo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Windigo Lake?
- Windigo Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake covers 503 acres.
What fish are in Windigo Lake?
- Fish species found in Windigo Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Windigo Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Windigo Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Windigo Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Windigo Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Windigo Lake?
- Windigo Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Landgraf. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Windigo Lake?
- Windigo Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Windigo Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Sawyer County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
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Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
25 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX25 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
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