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Lake Esadore

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #1 of 4 lakes in the county · 4.5 ft clear · Eutrophic · 48 acres · from C
Eutrophic

Lake Esadore in Taylor County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 48 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Esadore. DNR survey details →

Clarity
4.5 ft
Typical in August
74°F
Max depth
36 ft
Area
48 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Improving
Public access
Yes

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Lake Esadore is a 48-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Taylor County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 36 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 Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Taylor County, Lake Esadore ranks #1 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Bacteria A

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.

A
Bacteria swim-safety grade: A
from E. coli testing · 14 samples, 4 seasons

Based on E. coli testing, Lake Esadore never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 14 samples across 4 seasons.

This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Wisconsin’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Wausau

Get alerts for Lake Esadore

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 22.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)4.5 ftNot graded
Phosphorus22.1 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)52Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Lake Esadore

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Esadore in Taylor 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 Lake Esadore

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Water Temperature

Lake Esadore typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Feb (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
35°
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
68°
Jul
79°
Aug
74°
Sep
70°
Oct
57°
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (20242025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Esadore water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Esadore.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake Esadore B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 2001. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Fair · Deep Headwater lake
Trophic State Index 57 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)Walleye(Present)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth36 ft
Surface Area48 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
Shoreline
3.4 mi
Elevation
1,437 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

2
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Esadore LakePublic
  • Sackett Lake Recreation AreaPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Lake Esadore

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

Chinese Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf Pondweed

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.023 m/yr6
Phosphorus Improving-0.47 µg/L/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Lake Esadore is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Clear Lake (completed 1900), built primarily for recreation on the Clear Lake Outlet; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 208 ft long.

Surface area
71 ac
Normal storage
470 ac-ft
Max storage
680 ac-ft
Drainage area
1 sq mi
Hazard class
Low
Owner
Hammel Lake District #1

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00206 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.73 km)

EPA Impairment Status

Lake Esadore is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10003232 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.62 km)

County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Taylor County

Nearby Lakes in Taylor County

Frequently asked questions about Lake Esadore

Where is Lake Esadore?

Lake Esadore is a lake in Taylor County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Lake Esadore?

Lake Esadore in Taylor County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 48 acres.

Is Lake Esadore safe to swim in?

Based on E. coli testing, Lake Esadore never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 14 samples across 4 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Lake Esadore has a water quality grade of B (Good). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Wisconsin's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.

What is the water temperature of Lake Esadore?

Lake Esadore typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Lake Esadore?

Lake Esadore has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 48 acres.

What fish are in Lake Esadore?

Fish species found in Lake Esadore include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Lake Esadore is located in Taylor County, Wisconsin.

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Esadore?

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Esadore. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lake Esadore B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Are there boat ramps on Lake Esadore?

Lake Esadore has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Esadore Lake, Sackett Lake Recreation Area. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

60 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX60 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

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

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