Bear Lake
Bear Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 1348 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 87 ft
- Area
- 1,348 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Barron County
Bear Lake is a 1,348-acre mesotrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 87 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings. Compared to the 27 other monitored lakes in Barron County, Bear Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Bear Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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)
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 18 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Lake in Barron 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 Bear Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Bear Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Water Temperature
Bear Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Feb (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 36 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bear Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (87,096 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 87 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,348 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Upper Devils LakePublic
- Bear Lake (28 3/4 Ave.)Public
- Bear LakePublic
- Bear Lake (18th Street)Public
- Bear LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bear 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.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 5 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Bear Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2022Bear Lake fisheries survey, 2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2014Bear Lake comprehensive fisheries survey, 2014Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2014 (PDF)
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.543 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.47 µg/L/yr | 7 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bear Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bear Lake (completed 1880), built primarily for recreation on the Bear Creek; gravity-type dam, 22 ft tall and 513 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,358 ac
- Normal storage
- 27,254 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 38,120 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 60 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Barron County
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00099 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bear Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10004582 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 28 lakes in Barron County
Nearby Lakes in Barron County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 1348 acres.
Is Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Bear Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 36 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 87 feet. The lake covers 1348 acres.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Bear Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.
Does Bear Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bear Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (87,096 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Upper Devils Lake, Bear Lake (28 3/4 Ave.), Bear Lake, Bear Lake (18th Street), among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bear Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Barron County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Bear Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
122 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX122 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
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