Bear Paw Lake

Bear Paw Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Oconto County. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. At 47 acres, Bear Paw Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Bear Paw Lake sits at rank 36 of 66 in Oconto County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Bear Paw Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. The fishery is bass-led, with 3 documented species across the lake's records. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.