Bakkens Pond
Bakkens Pond in Sauk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.3 µg/L. Surface area: 60 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Area
- 60 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Bakkens Pond is a 60-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Sauk County, Bakkens Pond ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-27. Grade methodology: LakeQuality 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)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 23.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 23.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Bakkens Pond
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bakkens Pond in Sauk 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.
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Water Temperature
Bakkens Pond typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 80°F) and coldest in Oct (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bakkens Pond water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 60 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Bakkens Pond, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Bakkens PondPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Bakkens Pond
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.047 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.55 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bakkens Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bakkens Pond (completed 1968), built primarily for other on the INLET TO LONG LAKE FLOWAGE; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall and 1,700 ft long.
- Surface area
- 60 ac
- Normal storage
- 60 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 16.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00879 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bakkens Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10028530 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.35 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Bakkens Pond under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- The Hanor Company Of Wisconsin Llc Main FarmSpring Green · 3.6 mi away · NPDES WI0056260
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 7 lakes in Sauk County
Nearby Lakes in Sauk County
Frequently asked questions about Bakkens Pond
Where is Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond is a lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond in Sauk County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.3 µg/L. Surface area: 60 acres.
Is Bakkens Pond safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Bakkens Pond has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bakkens Pond. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
68 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX68 samples · 2021–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory