Lake Waubesa
Dane County, Wisconsin2,074 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Waubesa. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 4 aquatic invasives
- 38 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Waubesa in Dane County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 2074 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Lake Waubesa. DNR survey details →
Lake Waubesa is a 2,074-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dane County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 38 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 5 public boat landings. Compared to the 14 other monitored lakes in Dane County, Lake Waubesa ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lake Waubesa is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch5 documented ramps
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Deep water38 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,074 acres
Lake Waubesa Water Quality Summary (2026)
A printable one-page summary for Lake Waubesa: clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Lake Waubesa is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pFAS. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Waubesa 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 Lake Waubesa
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake Waubesa, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 36.6 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 36.6µg/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. | 58 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lake Waubesa
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM from gauge 05429485 (Lake Waubesa at Mc Farland, WI). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
→ Lake Waubesa water level: the live USGS gauge reading
Water Temperature
Lake Waubesa typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 76 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Waubesa water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lake Waubesa — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (554,626 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Lake Waubesa.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Waubesa’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 1921. 11 stations on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
38 ft
Surface area
2,074 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
332 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
12.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
840 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lunney Lake Farm County ParkPublic
- Goodland County ParkPublic
- Babcock County ParkPublic
- McConnell StreetPublic
- Conrad Jaeger ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Waubesa
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Waubesa in Dane 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 Waubesa
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Waubesa → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Follow Lake Waubesa’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Waubesa
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 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.68 µg/L/yr4 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Waubesa is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Waubesa (completed 1938), built primarily for navigation on the YAHARA; gravity-type dam, 10 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 5,448 ac
- Normal storage
- 0 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 50,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 350 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Dane County
All listed purposes: Navigation;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI01057 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Lake Waubesa is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001452 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Dane County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Waubesa
Where is Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa is a lake in Dane County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa in Dane County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 2074 acres.
Is Lake Waubesa safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lake Waubesa is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), pFAS. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 76 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa has a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake covers 2074 acres.
What fish are in Lake Waubesa?
- Fish species found in Lake Waubesa include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Catfish. Lake Waubesa is located in Dane County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Waubesa?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Lake Waubesa. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Waubesa’s water-quality measurements separately, 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.
What is the water level at Lake Waubesa?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Lake Waubesa is 844.72 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 5:00 AM at gauge 05429485. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Does Lake Waubesa have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lake Waubesa (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (554,626 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa has 5 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lunney Lake Farm County Park, Goodland County Park, Babcock County Park, McConnell Street, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa 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 Lake Waubesa across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
112 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_WQX112 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
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