Clear Lake
Clear Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 17.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 77 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 32 ft
- Area
- 77 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Sawyer County
Clear Lake is a 77-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 32 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. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Clear Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.3 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Clear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clear 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 Clear Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Clear Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Clear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Surface Area | 77 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clear LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clear 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.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1995. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Clear 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).
- 2024Clear Lake netting and shocking survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.969 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.01 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 45 lakes in Sawyer County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Clear 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 Clear Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 17.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 77 acres.
Is Clear Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Clear Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 77 acres.
What fish are in Clear Lake?
- Fish species found in Clear Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Clear Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
Are there boat ramps on Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clear Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
57 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_WQX57 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory