 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Wisconsin Lake Facts
Lake Lorraine Restoration and Protection Association, Inc.
Wisconsin has 15,081 documented inland lakes, ranging from small one and two-acre spring ponds to 137,708-
acre Lake Winnebago. Wisconsin’s natural inland lakes vary from a few feet deep to a maximum depth of 236 feet in
Green Lake in Green Lake County. Lake Wazee, a manmade Lake in Jackson County, is 350 feet deep.
Only about 40 percent of Wisconsin lakes have actually been named and the majority of the unnamed lakes are very
small – less than 10 acres.
About one quarter or 3,620 of the state’s lakes are larger than 20 acres, and they constitute more than 93 percent of
the surface area of Wisconsin’s inland lakes. All told, Wisconsin’s inland lakes cover about 1 million acres of the
state’s 35 million acres.
The portions of Lakes Michigan and Superior that lie within Wisconsin’s boundaries add nearly 6.5 million acres of
water to Wisconsin. Lake Superior is the biggest of the Great Lakes with a surface area of 31,700 square miles, and
a volume of 2,900 cubic miles. It is also the deepest and coldest, and water in the lake remains there for 191 years,
based on the rate of water flowing out of it. In comparison, it only takes six years for water in Lake Erie to be replaced
by incoming water.
Lake Michigan is the second largest of the five Great Lakes, with a surface area of 22,300 square miles and a
volume of 1,190 cubic miles.
Vilas County has the most lakes: 1,318. Brown and Outagamie counties have the fewest named lakes: 4 each.
Lake Winnebago in Winnebago County has the largest surface area – 137,708 acres – followed by Petenwell Lake
in Juneau County with 23,040 acres, and the Chippewa Flowage in Sawyer County with 15,300 acres. Mud Lake is
the most common lake name in Wisconsin; 116 lakes bear that moniker, followed by Bass Lake with 82, and Long
Lake with 59.
acre Lake Winnebago. Wisconsin’s natural inland lakes vary from a few feet deep to a maximum depth of 236 feet in
Green Lake in Green Lake County. Lake Wazee, a manmade Lake in Jackson County, is 350 feet deep.
Only about 40 percent of Wisconsin lakes have actually been named and the majority of the unnamed lakes are very
small – less than 10 acres.
About one quarter or 3,620 of the state’s lakes are larger than 20 acres, and they constitute more than 93 percent of
the surface area of Wisconsin’s inland lakes. All told, Wisconsin’s inland lakes cover about 1 million acres of the
state’s 35 million acres.
The portions of Lakes Michigan and Superior that lie within Wisconsin’s boundaries add nearly 6.5 million acres of
water to Wisconsin. Lake Superior is the biggest of the Great Lakes with a surface area of 31,700 square miles, and
a volume of 2,900 cubic miles. It is also the deepest and coldest, and water in the lake remains there for 191 years,
based on the rate of water flowing out of it. In comparison, it only takes six years for water in Lake Erie to be replaced
by incoming water.
Lake Michigan is the second largest of the five Great Lakes, with a surface area of 22,300 square miles and a
volume of 1,190 cubic miles.
Vilas County has the most lakes: 1,318. Brown and Outagamie counties have the fewest named lakes: 4 each.
Lake Winnebago in Winnebago County has the largest surface area – 137,708 acres – followed by Petenwell Lake
in Juneau County with 23,040 acres, and the Chippewa Flowage in Sawyer County with 15,300 acres. Mud Lake is
the most common lake name in Wisconsin; 116 lakes bear that moniker, followed by Bass Lake with 82, and Long
Lake with 59.
Wetlands provide critical habitat for wildlife, water storage to prevent flooding and protect water quality, and
recreational opportunities for wildlife watchers, anglers, hunters, trappers and boaters. About half of the 10 million
acres of wetlands present when Wisconsin became a state have been filled or dredged to make way for farms,
cities, roads, and other uses.
Scientists distinguish dozens of wetland types in Wisconsin, characterized by vegetation, soil type and degree of soil
saturation or water cover. Some of the more prominent wetland types are wet meadows, marshes, forested
wetlands and aquatic bed wetlands.
Wetlands are home to more bird species than any other kind of habitat: 39 percent of the state’s 370 species of
birds are found here. Forty-three percent of all federally listed threatened and endangered species use wetlands at
some point in their life cycles. In Wisconsin, 32 percent of the state’s threatened and endangered plants and
animals depend on wetlands. Among them are the Blanding’s turtle, the yellow throated warbler and red shouldered
hawk, and the swamp metalmark butterfly.
Some southern Wisconsin counties have lost more than 75 percent of their wetlands. Most of the remaining wetland
acreage is found in the northern third of the state. Oneida is the wettest county; about one third, or 237,546 of the
county’s 719,826 acres are wetlands. Take a look at the wetland acreage in your home county by going to: http:
//www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/wetlands/acreage.shtml
recreational opportunities for wildlife watchers, anglers, hunters, trappers and boaters. About half of the 10 million
acres of wetlands present when Wisconsin became a state have been filled or dredged to make way for farms,
cities, roads, and other uses.
Scientists distinguish dozens of wetland types in Wisconsin, characterized by vegetation, soil type and degree of soil
saturation or water cover. Some of the more prominent wetland types are wet meadows, marshes, forested
wetlands and aquatic bed wetlands.
Wetlands are home to more bird species than any other kind of habitat: 39 percent of the state’s 370 species of
birds are found here. Forty-three percent of all federally listed threatened and endangered species use wetlands at
some point in their life cycles. In Wisconsin, 32 percent of the state’s threatened and endangered plants and
animals depend on wetlands. Among them are the Blanding’s turtle, the yellow throated warbler and red shouldered
hawk, and the swamp metalmark butterfly.
Some southern Wisconsin counties have lost more than 75 percent of their wetlands. Most of the remaining wetland
acreage is found in the northern third of the state. Oneida is the wettest county; about one third, or 237,546 of the
county’s 719,826 acres are wetlands. Take a look at the wetland acreage in your home county by going to: http:
//www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/wetlands/acreage.shtml
| Wisconsin Wetlands |