Bardon Lake
Douglas County, Wisconsin848 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bardon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Spiny Waterflea
- 102 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Bardon Lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 27 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Maximum depth: 102 ft. Surface area: 848 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bardon Lake. DNR survey details →
Bardon Lake is a 848-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 102 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 14 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Bardon Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bardon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water27 ft of visibility
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water102 ft surveyed max depth
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 Bardon 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 Bardon Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bardon Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 27 ft down. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 27ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30µg/L | Fair 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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bardon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bardon Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bardon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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 1998. 8 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
102 ft
Surface area
848 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Bardon Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bardon 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: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.51 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Bardon Lake
Where is Bardon Lake?
- Bardon Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bardon Lake?
- Bardon Lake in Douglas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 27 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Maximum depth: 102 ft. Surface area: 848 acres.
Is Bardon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Bardon Lake?
- Bardon Lake has a maximum depth of 102 feet. The lake covers 848 acres.
What fish are in Bardon Lake?
- Fish species found in Bardon Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Bardon Lake is located in Douglas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bardon Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bardon Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bardon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Bardon Lake?
- Public access to Bardon Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Bardon Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX6 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes