Barber Lake
Sawyer County, Wisconsin138 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Barber Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Barber Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 138 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Barber Lake. DNR survey details →
Barber Lake is a 138-acre mesotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Barber Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Barber Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.3 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Barber Lake 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 Barber Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Barber Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.3 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Barber Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Barber Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Barber Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Barber 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).
- 2024Barber Lake netting and shocking survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
21 ft
Surface area
138 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,345 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Barber LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Barber Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Barber Lake in Sawyer 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 Barber Lake
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Follow Barber Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Barber 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.
Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Barber Lake
Where is Barber Lake?
- Barber Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Barber Lake?
- Barber Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 138 acres.
Is Barber Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Barber Lake?
- Barber Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 138 acres.
What fish are in Barber Lake?
- Fish species found in Barber Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Barber Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Barber Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Barber Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Barber Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Barber Lake?
- Barber Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Barber Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Barber Lake?
- Barber Lake 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 Barber Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX4 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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
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