Wood Lake
Wood Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 521 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Wood Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 521 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Wood Lake is a 521-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Burnett 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 improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Wood Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-25. 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 5.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 22.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wood Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wood Lake in Burnett 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 Wood Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Wood Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Jun (about 77°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 14 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wood Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Wood Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL) on June 20, 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 Wood Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Wood Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 521 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Thoreson American Legion ParkPublic
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 Wood 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 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.057 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.59 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Wood Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005159 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 30 lakes in Burnett County
Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Wood Lake
Where is Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 521 acres.
Is Wood Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Wood Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 521 acres.
What fish are in Wood Lake?
- Fish species found in Wood Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Wood Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wood Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Wood Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Wood Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Wood Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Wood Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Thoreson American Legion Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wood Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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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
38 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX38 samples · 2020–2025
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