Beaver Dam Lake vs Red Cedar Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Beaver Dam Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Red Cedar Lake. Both are in Barron County, Wisconsin.
Beaver Dam Lake and Red Cedar Lake are both in Wisconsin — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Beaver Dam Lake versus Red Cedar 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.
Beaver Dam Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft.
Red Cedar Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 10.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Beaver Dam Lake | Red Cedar Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 11 ft Better | 10.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 12.9 µg/L Better | 17.8 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 106 ft Better | 53 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,163 acres | 1,897 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 6 Better | 5 |
| 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
Beaver Dam Lake and Red Cedar Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Beaver Dam Lake: 11 ft, Red Cedar Lake: 10.1 ft) and what you want from the lake. Beaver Dam Lake supports more documented fish species.
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Where to stay near Beaver Dam Lake and Red Cedar Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Beaver Dam Lake and Red Cedar 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 Beaver Dam Lake and Red Cedar Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.