Beaver Dam Lake
Beaver Dam Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 106 ft. Surface area: 1163 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Beaver Dam Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Max depth
- 106 ft
- Area
- 1,163 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Beaver Dam Lake is a 1,163-acre mesotrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 106 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings. Compared to the 27 other monitored lakes in Barron County, Beaver Dam Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Beaver Dam Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Beaver Dam Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Beaver Dam Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Beaver Dam Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Beaver Dam Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (108,643 cells/mL) on November 8, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Beaver Dam Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Beaver Dam Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1992. 16 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Beaver Dam Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2013Beaver Dam Lake comprehensive fisheries survey, 2013Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2013 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 106 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,163 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Beaver Dam Lake 2Public
- Eagle PointPublic
- Tourist ParkPublic
- Beaver Dam Lake 3Public
- Beaver Dam LakePublic
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beaver Dam Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.879 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Beaver Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Beaver Dam Lake (completed 1942), built primarily for recreation on the Hay River; earth-type dam, 6 ft tall and 400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,163 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 12,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 20 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Barron County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00626 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Beaver Dam Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Seneca Foods Corporation CumberlandCumberland · 0.9 mi away · NPDES WI0052701Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 28 lakes in Barron County
Nearby Lakes in Barron County
Frequently asked questions about Beaver Dam Lake
Where is Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake is a lake in Barron County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 106 ft. Surface area: 1163 acres.
Is Beaver Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Beaver Dam Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake has a maximum depth of 106 feet. The lake covers 1163 acres.
What fish are in Beaver Dam Lake?
- Fish species found in Beaver Dam Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout, Walleye. Beaver Dam Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Beaver Dam Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Beaver Dam Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Beaver Dam Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Beaver Dam Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Beaver Dam Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (108,643 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Beaver Dam Lake 2, Eagle Point, Tourist Park, Beaver Dam Lake 3, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Beaver Dam Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Barron County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Compare Beaver Dam Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
113 measurements from 8 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX113 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (8)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory