Barron County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 37 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Barron County's 37 graded lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for Wisconsin. The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. Barron County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Beaver Dam Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Barron County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Beaver Dam Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (16)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Barron County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- 2024Lake Montanis fishery survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Poskin Lake fishery survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2023Red Cedar Chain of Lakes fisheries survey, 2023Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2022Bear Lake fisheries survey, 2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2022Rice Lake spring shocking survey, 2022Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2021Big Moon Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2021Lower Turtle Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2021Upper Turtle Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2019Duck Lake fisheries survey, 2019Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2019 (PDF)
- 2019Granite Lake comprehensive survey, 2019Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2019 (PDF)
- 2017Silver Lake fishery assessment, 2017Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
- 2014Bear Lake comprehensive fisheries survey, 2014Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2014 (PDF)
All Lakes in Barron County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaver Dam Lake | A | 11 ft | 106 ft | 13 µg/L |
| 2 | Silver Lake | A | 13 ft | 91 ft | 12.5 µg/L |
| 3 | Red Cedar Lake | A | 10.1 ft | 53 ft | 17.4 µg/L |
| 4 | Big Dummy Lake | A | 12 ft | 54 ft | 16.4 µg/L |
| 5 | Echo Lake | A | 13 ft | 41 ft | 14.8 µg/L |
| 6 | Little Dummy Lake | A | 11 ft | 44 ft | 14.8 µg/L |
| 7 | Bass Lake | B | 9.7 ft | 14 ft | 17 µg/L |
| 8 | Loon Lake | B | 8.5 ft | 26 ft | 18.6 µg/L |
| 9 | Sand Lake | B | 13 ft | - | 20 µg/L |
| 10 | Lower Vermillion Lake | B | 9 ft | 55 ft | 17.4 µg/L |
| 11 | Horseshoe Lake | B | 7.3 ft | 19 ft | 19.2 µg/L |
| 12 | Big Moon Lake at | B | 10 ft | 48 ft | 25.7 µg/L |
| 13 | Bear Lake | B | 6.2 ft | 87 ft | 17.5 µg/L |
| 14 | Kirby Lake | B | 7.5 ft | 19 ft | 24.4 µg/L |
| 15 | Lake Thirty | B | 4.8 ft | 27 ft | 19.4 µg/L |
| 16 | North Lake | C | 5.5 ft | 21 ft | 22.7 µg/L |
| 17 | Little Sand Lake | C | 5 ft | 39 ft | 28.2 µg/L |
| 18 | Moon Lake | C | - | 5 ft | 39.9 µg/L |
| 19 | Granite Lake at | C | 6 ft | 34 ft | 23.8 µg/L |
| 20 | Poskin Lake | C | 4 ft | 30 ft | 28.7 µg/L |
| 21 | Rice Lake | C | 4.1 ft | 19 ft | 31.5 µg/L |
| 22 | Lake Desair | C | 4 ft | 33 ft | 36.8 µg/L |
| 23 | Upper Turtle Lake | C | 4 ft | 25 ft | 41.2 µg/L |
| 24 | Lower Turtle Lake | C | 4 ft | 24 ft | 57 µg/L |
| 25 | Lake Montanis | D | 2 ft | 14 ft | 50.2 µg/L |
| 26 | Crystal Lake | D | 3.2 ft | 22 ft | 52.5 µg/L |
| 27 | Granite Lake South Basin | D | 6 ft | 34 ft | - |
| 28 | Pokegama Lake | D | 4.5 ft | 19 ft | - |
| 29 | Lake of the Woods Barron Co. at | D | - | 55 ft | 63 µg/L |
| 30 | Butternut Lake | D | 2.3 ft | 15 ft | 67 µg/L |
| 31 | Prairie Lake | F | 2 ft | 16 ft | - |
| 32 | Mud Lake | F | 2.3 ft | 15 ft | - |
| 33 | Tenmile Lake | F | 2 ft | 12 ft | - |
| 34 | Staples Lake | F | 2.6 ft | - | 134 µg/L |
| 35 | Upper Vermillion Lake | F | 1.7 ft | 9 ft | 149 µg/L |
| 36 | Prairie Lake | F | 2.1 ft | 16 ft | - |
| 37 | Prairie Lake | F | 2 ft | 16 ft | - |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.