Lake Waubesa
Lake Waubesa in Dane County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 2074 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 38 ft
- Area
- 2,074 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Dane County
Lake Waubesa is a 2,074-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dane County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 38 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 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Lake Waubesa water quality
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Lake Waubesa Water Quality Report Card (2026)
A printable one-page report card for Lake Waubesa: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
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)
Very murky, less than 3.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 36.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 36.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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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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.
Water Temperature
Lake Waubesa typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 38 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,074 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
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
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
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)
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.925 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.68 µg/L/yr | 4 |
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10001452 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 15 lakes in Dane County
Nearby Lakes in Dane County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Waubesa
What is the water quality grade for Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa in Dane County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Lake Waubesa has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lake Waubesa?
- Lake Waubesa typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, 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 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.
Explore Lake Waubesa across LakeGrade
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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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)
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