About this project

Wisconsin Lake Explorer is a free map and search tool covering all 9,924 Wisconsin waterbodies published in the DNR lake directory. Every lake has a permanent report page at /lakes/<WBIC>/ — the DNR waterbody identification code is the only page identity, so a renamed or duplicate lake name can never break its link. Two or three lakes can be compared side by side at /compare/ — published facts with their sources and dates, never scores or winners — and a private saved-lakes list (up to 25) stays in your browser only; nothing is sent to a server.

Every fact shown is bounded to its named published source and date. Missing values mean a record was not published, never zero — an absent access record is not evidence there is no access, and an absent invasive-species record is never evidence of absence. The Data & methods page documents each source family, its scope, and when it was retrieved.

I built an earlier version of this a few years ago using Tableau to zero in on my favorite Wisconsin lake so far. As an avid fisherman I was chasing those hidden gems, the roads less traveled and the lakes less fished, even when they take a little work to reach. I hope this tool helps you discover a new favorite or spark a bit of adventure.

Brought to you by joshuaalancooper.com. Open the lake explorer.