Bakkens Pond
Sauk County, Wisconsin60 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bakkens Pond. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Bakkens Pond in Sauk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.3 µg/L. Surface area: 60 acres.
Bakkens Pond is a 60-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bakkens Pond is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bakkens Pond is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bakkens Pond
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bakkens Pond, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 23.3 µg/L. TSI 57.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 23.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 57 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Bakkens Pond
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bakkens Pond typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (80°F).
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
Surface area
60 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bakkens Pond
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Fishing Bakkens Pond
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.55 µg/L/yr5 years
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
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.
Nearby Lakes in Sauk County
Frequently asked questions about Bakkens Pond
Where is Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond is a lake in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond in Sauk County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.3 µg/L. Surface area: 60 acres.
Is Bakkens Pond safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October, 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.
Can I fish at Bakkens Pond?
- Bakkens Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Bakkens Pond across LakeQuality
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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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
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