Beaver Dam Lake vs Upper Turtle Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Beaver Dam Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Upper Turtle Lake. Both are in Barron County, Wisconsin.
Beaver Dam Lake and Upper Turtle 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 Upper Turtle 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.
Upper Turtle Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Beaver Dam Lake | Upper Turtle Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 11 ft Better | 4 ft |
| Phosphorus | 12.9 µg/L Better | 38.2 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 106 ft Better | 25 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,163 acres | 427 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 6 Better | 4 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | eutrophic |
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 reads lower on nutrients and algae than Upper Turtle Lake. Water clarity: 11 ft vs 4 ft. For fishing diversity, Beaver Dam Lake also leads with 6 species.
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Where to stay near Beaver Dam Lake and Upper Turtle Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Beaver Dam Lake and Upper Turtle 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 Upper Turtle Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.