Bear Lake vs Beaver Dam Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Beaver Dam Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Bear Lake. Both are in Barron County, Wisconsin.
Both Bear Lake and Beaver Dam Lake sit in Wisconsin. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any differences in the readings here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies sampling them. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Bear Lake versus Beaver Dam Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Bear Lake
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft.
Beaver Dam Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Bear Lake | Beaver Dam Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 6.2 ft | 11 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | 12.9 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 87 ft | 106 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 1,348 acres | 1,163 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 5 | 6 Better |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Bear Lake and Beaver Dam Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Bear Lake: 6.2 ft, Beaver Dam Lake: 11 ft) and what you want from the lake. Bear Lake has fewer fish species than Beaver Dam Lake.
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Where to stay near Bear Lake and Beaver Dam Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Bear Lake and Beaver Dam Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Bear Lake and Beaver Dam Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.