Bear Lake
Waupaca County, Wisconsin200 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bear Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 62 ft max depth
- Public access
Bear Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Maximum depth: 62 ft. Surface area: 200 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bear Lake. DNR survey details →
Bear Lake is a 200-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 62 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Waupaca County, Bear Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bear Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water62 ft surveyed max depth
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 Bear 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 Bear Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bear 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 11 ft. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bear Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bear Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 1990. 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 Bear 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).
- 2021Bear Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
62 ft
Surface area
200 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
324 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
797 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bear 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 Bear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Lake in Waupaca 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
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Follow Bear Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2021–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.6 µg/L/yr3 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Bear Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Manawa Wastewater Treatment FacilityManawa · 2.9 mi away · NPDES WI0020869Recent violation
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 Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake
Where is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Maximum depth: 62 ft. Surface area: 200 acres.
Is Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 62 feet. The lake covers 200 acres.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Bear Lake is located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bear Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bear Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bear Lake?
- Bear 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 Bear Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
87 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX87 samples · 2021–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity in Water
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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