Callahan Lake
Callahan Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 138 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Callahan Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 10.6 ft
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 138 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
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Callahan Lake is a 138-acre mesotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Callahan Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-25. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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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 10.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 21.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21.9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Callahan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Callahan Lake in Sawyer 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 Callahan Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Callahan Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Callahan Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. 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 2009. 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 Callahan 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).
- 2024Mud/Callahan Lake netting and shocking survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 138 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Callahan 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.1 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.37 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Callahan Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Callahan Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the NORTH FORK CHIEF RIVER; gravity-type dam, 15 ft tall and 225 ft long.
- Surface area
- 602 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 22 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Jenkins, Ruby
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00308 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 45 lakes in Sawyer County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Callahan Lake holds Grade B. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Callahan Lake
Where is Callahan Lake?
- Callahan Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Callahan Lake?
- Callahan Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 138 acres.
Is Callahan Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Callahan Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Callahan Lake?
- Callahan Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 138 acres.
What fish are in Callahan Lake?
- Fish species found in Callahan Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Callahan Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Callahan Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Callahan Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Callahan Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX29 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes