Beaver Dam Lake
Barron County, Wisconsin1,163 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Beaver Dam Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 106 ft max depth
- Public access
Beaver Dam Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 106 ft. Surface area: 1163 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Beaver Dam Lake. DNR survey details →
Beaver Dam Lake is a 1,163-acre mesotrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 106 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 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, Beaver Dam Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Beaver Dam Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water106 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,163 acres
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 Beaver Dam 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 Beaver Dam Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Beaver Dam 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 12.9 µg/L. TSI 42.
| 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 | 12.9µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Beaver Dam Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Beaver Dam Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (108,643 cells/mL) on November 8, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Beaver Dam Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Beaver Dam Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1992. 16 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Beaver Dam 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).
- 2013Beaver Dam Lake comprehensive fisheries survey, 2013Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2013 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
106 ft
Surface area
1,163 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
15 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
12 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,220 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Beaver Dam Lake 2Public
- Eagle PointPublic
- Tourist ParkPublic
- Beaver Dam Lake 3Public
- Beaver Dam 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 Beaver Dam Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Beaver Dam Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beaver Dam 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: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.25 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Beaver Dam Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Beaver Dam Lake (completed 1942), built primarily for recreation on the Hay River; earth-type dam, 6 ft tall and 400 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,163 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 12,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 20 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Barron County
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00626 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Beaver Dam Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Seneca Foods Corporation CumberlandCumberland · 0.9 mi away · NPDES WI0052701Recent 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 Barron County
Frequently asked questions about Beaver Dam Lake
Where is Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake is a lake in Barron County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 106 ft. Surface area: 1163 acres.
Is Beaver Dam Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake has a maximum depth of 106 feet. The lake covers 1163 acres.
What fish are in Beaver Dam Lake?
- Fish species found in Beaver Dam Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout, Walleye. Beaver Dam Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Beaver Dam Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Beaver Dam Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Beaver Dam Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Beaver Dam Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Beaver Dam Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (108,643 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Beaver Dam Lake 2, Eagle Point, Tourist Park, Beaver Dam Lake 3, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Beaver Dam Lake?
- Beaver Dam Lake has 5 documented boat landings 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 Beaver Dam Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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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 readings
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
113 measurements from 8 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_WQX113 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (8)
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