Paulsen Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2488000
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (Balsam Branch-Apple River) as suspect or infected with VHS, a fish virus. The listing covers the watershed, not a test of this lake. About VHS
Size
26 acres
Max depth
21 ft
DNR lake type
Simple, Warm, dark water color
Water clarity
15 ft
Clear, measured Sep 2025
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
Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1978), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
15 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Sep 8, 2025. 43 readings on record, 1996 to 2025.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 11 ft, clear, from 28 readings (2012 to 2025).
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 Paulsen Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Sep 8, 2025, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 12 (Apr 5 to Apr 23)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 18 (Apr 11 to Apr 30)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 14 (May 9 to May 19)
- June surface73°F, usually 72 to 74°F
- July surface79°F, usually 78 to 80°F
- August surface75°F, usually 74 to 77°F
Forms a warm top layer around Apr 29, lasting about 136 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.
Measured: Wisconsin DNR via the Water Quality Portal (checked Oct 23, 2026). 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.
More lakes in Polk County
- Lee Lake0.5 miles away
- Swede Lake0.7 miles away
- Rice Lake1.4 miles away
- Church Pine Lake1.4 miles away
- Pine Lake1.5 miles away
- Larsen Lake1.7 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
- 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
- VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, 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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