Bear Lake
Bear Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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 →
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Max depth
- 62 ft
- Area
- 200 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Waupaca County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Bear Lake is a 200-acre mesotrophic lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 62 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 18 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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
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 whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bear Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bear Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 62 ft |
| Surface Area | 200 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
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
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.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.257 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.6 µg/L/yr | 3 |
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 21 lakes in Waupaca County
Nearby Lakes in Waupaca County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake
Where is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake is a lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake in Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Maximum depth: 62 ft. Surface area: 200 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.
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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bear Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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.
Explore Bear Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Waupaca 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
State Parks Near Bear Lake
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
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)
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
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