Little Butternut Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2640700
Size
189 acres
Max depth
23 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Warm, dark water color
Water clarity
7 ft
Moderate, measured May 2023
A warm-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that warm up through summer. This describes the lake type in general, not this lake in particular.
Outline
Numbered dots are boat landings; tap one for directions. The list below has the same numbers. Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1983), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
7 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured May 21, 2023. 53 readings on record, 2014 to 2023.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 3.5 ft, low, from 35 readings (2014 to 2022).
Secchi depth is how far down a white disk stays visible. A bigger number means clearer water. Clear means a Secchi depth of 10 feet or more, moderate 5 to 10 feet, low under 5 feet.
Wisconsin DNR water monitoring (volunteer and staff), via the Water Quality Portal; station Little Butternut Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 15 (Apr 11 to Apr 24)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 20 (Apr 17 to May 2)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 23 (May 15 to May 26)
- June surface73°F, usually 71 to 73°F
- July surface78°F, usually 77 to 80°F
- August surface74°F, usually 73 to 77°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 21, lasting about 93 days.
A computer model of this lake's typical weather and water, built from 15 years, 2005 to 2019. Ranges show the middle half of years. The model was not calibrated against measured temperatures for this lake. It is an estimate, not a measurement.
Modeled: U.S. Geological Survey lake temperature data release (doi:10.5066/P9CA6XP8).
Today at the lake
Forecast: National Weather Service (no endorsement implied). Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated. The moon phase can be a day off.
Fish recorded near this lake
- Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas1945 to 1978; 2 records
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1970 to 2003; 5 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1945 to 2003; 6 records
- Bowfin Amia calva1945 to 1978; 2 records
- Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus1945 to 1978; 2 records
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas2003; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1970 to 2005; 8 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1945 to 2005; 9 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1945 to 2003; 7 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1945 to 2005; 8 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1970; 1 record
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis1945 to 2003; 4 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1945 to 2003; 7 records
Recorded in open fish survey and museum records (GBIF). A record shows a fish was found near this lake in that year, not that it is there now, and says nothing about how many. Most coordinates are rounded to about 1 km, so a record is attached only when one lake is the clear match.
Open fish survey and museum records from GBIF; datasets are listed on the sources page. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Boat landings
- 1Little Butternut Lake Boat RampBoat ramp · Concrete surface · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Polk County
- Big Butternut Lake2.0 miles away
- Sandhill Lake3.4 miles away
- Antler Lake4.3 miles away
- Little Mirror Lake4.5 miles away
- Camp Douglas Lake4.6 miles away
- Rice Lake4.6 miles away
Where this comes from
- Size, depth and lake typeWisconsin DNR lake classifications, checked Oct 23, 2026
- OutlineWisconsin DNR 24K hydrography, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Regulations linkWisconsin DNR fishing regulations (linked, not restated), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Boat landingsWisconsin DNR public boat access sites, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Water clarityWisconsin DNR water monitoring, via the Water Quality Portal, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Typical-year temperatureU.S. Geological Survey lake temperature model (modeled estimate), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Fish recordedOpen fish survey and museum records, via GBIF, checked Oct 23, 2026
- VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, checked Oct 24, 2026
- Depth map linkWisconsin DNR lake maps list, checked Oct 24, 2026
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.
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