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Rice Lake, Wisconsin

8 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1949 and the latest in 1981. It stands in Rice Lake City. It lies in ZIP code area 54868. The Survey maps it on the Rice Lake North quadrangle. 9,040 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,148 feet above sea level.

Rice Lake within Barron County

On record in Rice Lake

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Population over time

2 figures

Rice Lake grew from 8,438 to 9,040 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20108,438
20209,040+602 (+7%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 8 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

24 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 24 fires within 5 miles of Rice Lake between 1992 and 2020, burning about 36 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined11
Debris and open burning9
Equipment and vehicle use2
Smoking1
Recreation and ceremony1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
23 August 2013Debris and open burning2.8 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
8 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources321
5 July 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources287
4 July 1992Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.8 acresWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
30 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources384
12 July 2020Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resources298
21 June 2006Debris and open burningunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
4 May 2020Debris and open burningunder an acreWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesTWO FER

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Barron County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 23 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 23 workings within 5 miles of Rice Lake: 11 occurrences, 8 past producers, 4 producers. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
A. H. Meyer Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Barron County Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
CrotteauSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Edward Anderson Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Erma Weed Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Evelyn Mommsen Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Evelyn Sorenson Sand DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
H. P. Miller Gravel DepositSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrence
Henry Janecky Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
J. B. Barta Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Barron County

Storms near this place

60 of 66 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Rice Lake in 66 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 36 hail, 26 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 1 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
September 2005HailRice Lake$30,000,000Hundreds of houses damaged from wind driven large hail. Numerous car windows shattered. The local newspaper reported that one auto glass replacement company estimated about 200 different jobs were required.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindRice Lake$250,000Severe wind gusts caused damage to several trailer homes on the south side of Rice Lake.
July 2023HailRice Lake$50,000Hail up to tennis ball size with hail breaking through a large retailer's roof.
June 2012Flash FloodRice Lake$50,000Very heavy rainfall caused significant street flooding in Rice Lake, with some cars disabled and floating in water. Radar estimated between 3 and 5 inches of rain fell in a short period of time to cause the street flooding.
April 1994HailRice Lake$50,000no account filed
July 2010Thunderstorm WindRice Lake$15,000Several reports of trees and power lines blown down in the city of Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindRice Lake$2,000A large pine tree snapped off and fell on a boat.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-A tree was downed, blocking 18th Street near 22 1/2 Avenue northwest of Rice Lake.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Photo was provided of a tree which had been brought down by strong thunderstorm wind gusts.
July 2023HailRice Lake-Lots of golf ball size hail falling for a few minutes.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-On the north side of Rice Lake there was a report of 40 foot tall trees down.
July 2023HailRice Lake-The ground was covered with hail up to 2 inches in diameter.
July 2023Funnel CloudRice Lake-A picture of a funnel cloud was recieved on social media.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-A 18 inch diameter pine tree was uprooted near Rice Lake.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Several power lines were blown down, and a 12 inch diameter pine tree was snapped.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-A 12 inch diameter tree was snapped in half east of Rice Lake.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-A few 6 to 8 inch diameter trees were blown down.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Numerous small to large trees were downed.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Several large trees, up to 2.5 feet in diameter, were blown down or uprooted from the north side of Rice Lake, to the east side of the city limits. The most concentrated area was north and east along County Road 48.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-A few large, two foot diameter trees were blown down near Rice Lake.
September 2014Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Multiple trees were blown down in the city of Rice Lake.
August 2013HailRice Lake-A few large tree branches were blown down in addition to the hail.
July 2010HailRice Lake-Several reports of dime, up to golf ball size hail was observed from west of Rice Lake, into the city of Rice Lake.
June 2008HailRice Lake-Numerous reports of hail this size across the city.
August 2008Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Widespread tree damage.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Trees were downed along a seven mile swath into Rice Lake. A few trees were downed along 14th Street, with two blocking the road. Another tree was felled near 23rd Avenue and 13th Street, with another one blocking the southbound lane of 18th Street. Six to eight inch diameter tree felled in Rice Lake. Most of the northern portion of Rice Lake without power for several hours due to downed power lines. A storm spotter measured 60 mph at his residence in Rice Lake.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-A wind gust of 65 MPH was recorded by a spotter.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Several trees were downed near the downtown lakeshore to near Lindy Street. One tree fell onto a pickup truck near the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Evans Street. The time was estimated.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Numerous trees were downed and a barn roof was blown off.
June 2005HailRice Lake-A trained spotter reported hail between the size of dimes and half dollars.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Numerous trees were downed.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Numerous large trees toppled. Pine trees snapped.
April 2004HailRice Lake-Dime to golfball sized hail damaged vehicles.
August 2000HailRice Lake-Windows broken, damage to houses.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Numerous trees down.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Estimated winds. Trees toppled.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Estimated winds, scattered trees down.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindRice Lake-Trees toppled over and shingles torn off barn.
July 2023HailRice Lake-no account filed
May 2022HailRice Lake-no account filed
May 2022HailRice Lake-no account filed
May 2022HailRice Lake-no account filed
July 2021HailRice Lake-no account filed
July 2021HailRice Lake-no account filed
July 2020HailRice Lake-no account filed
July 2014HailRice Lake-no account filed
July 2014HailRice Lake-no account filed
July 2014HailRice Lake-no account filed
August 2014HailRice Lake-no account filed
August 2013HailRice Lake-no account filed
August 2013HailRice Lake-no account filed
June 2012HailRice Lake-no account filed
June 2012HailRice Lake-no account filed
June 2005HailRice Lake-no account filed
June 2005HailRice Lake-no account filed
September 2005HailRice Lake-no account filed
August 2004HailRice Lake-no account filed
June 2001HailRice Lake-no account filed
May 2001HailRice Lake-no account filed
August 2000HailRice Lake-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Barron County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Dobie4.3 miles8
Tuscobia4.3 miles8
Campia4.4 miles8
Cameron6.7 miles7
Canton6.8 miles7
Haugen7.4 miles8
Brill7.5 miles8
Barron9.3 miles7

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Rice LakeAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1570007The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1572268. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.