Beaver Dam Lake

Beaver Dam Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Beaver Dam Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. At 106 ft of maximum depth, Beaver Dam Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 1,163 acres, Beaver Dam Lake is one of the larger lakes in Barron County, with partial shoreline records supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Within Barron County's 37 graded waters, Beaver Dam Lake sits at rank 3, near the top of the local distribution.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Beaver Dam Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 6 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. A documented public access point at Beaver Dam Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.