Where is Middle Eau Claire Lake?

Middle Eau Claire Lake is a lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Middle Eau Claire Lake?

Middle Eau Claire Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Middle Eau Claire Lake?

Middle Eau Claire Lake has a maximum depth of 66 feet. The lake covers 880 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Middle Eau Claire Lake?

Middle Eau Claire Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Middle Eau Claire Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Middle Eau Claire Lake?

Middle Eau Claire Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.

Middle Eau Claire Lake

Bayfield County, Wisconsin880 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Middle Eau Claire Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

18.2 ft

Clearer than most

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

12.9 µg/L

Less phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~74°F

Typical for Aug · EPA WQP

Max depth

66 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

880 acres

Surface area

Type

Oligotrophic

Trophic class

Oligotrophic
2 aquatic invasives
66 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Middle Eau Claire Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 880 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Middle Eau Claire Lake. DNR survey details →

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Middle Eau Claire Lake is a 880-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 66 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 23 other monitored lakes in Bayfield County, Middle Eau Claire Lake ranks #15 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Middle Eau Claire Lake covers about 880 acres in Bayfield County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Middle Eau Claire Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.

What Middle Eau Claire Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Clear water18.2 ft of visibility
Boat launch1 documented ramp
Fishing6 species recorded
Deep water66 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Low algae

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. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Middle Eau Claire Lake 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Hayward →

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Water quality measurements for Middle Eau Claire Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Middle Eau Claire Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Crystal clear, you can see 18.2 ft down. Phosphorus 12.9 µg/L. TSI 38.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	18.2ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	12.9µg/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.	38	Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.

Ask about Middle Eau Claire Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Middle Eau Claire Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Jun (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

73°

Jun

78°

Jul

74°

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (73°F) to its warmest (78°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Middle Eau Claire Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Middle Eau Claire Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Middle Eau Claire Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 1987. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Reported

Trophic State Index 39 (oligotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

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

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

66 ft

Surface area

880 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

93 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

7.1 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,119 ft

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

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Middle Eau Claire LakePublic

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

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Middle Eau Claire Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Middle Eau Claire Lake in Bayfield 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 Middle Eau Claire Lake

Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

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 →

Follow Middle Eau Claire Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Musky Panfish Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike Walleye

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

Fishing Middle Eau Claire 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.

Banded Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedRusty Crayfish

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

Water clarity
Improving
6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening
+0.49 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Middle Eau Claire Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Middle Eau Claire Lake (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the EAU CLAIRE; gravity-type dam, 16 ft tall and 100 ft long.

Surface area: 902 ac
Normal storage: 4,000 ac-ft
Max storage: 6,000 ac-ft
Drainage area: 57 sq mi
Hazard class: Significant
Owner: Bayfield County

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00523 · Operator website

Nearby Lakes in Bayfield County

Bony Lake19.8 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Pickerel Lake—View →Birch Lake—View →Robinson Lake13.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Henderson Lake—View →

Upper Eau Claire Lake18.7 ft clear · OligotrophicCompare—View →

Frequently asked questions about Middle Eau Claire Lake

Where is Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Middle Eau Claire Lake is a lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Middle Eau Claire Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 18.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 880 acres.
Is Middle Eau Claire Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Middle Eau Claire Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Middle Eau Claire Lake has a maximum depth of 66 feet. The lake covers 880 acres.
What fish are in Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Fish species found in Middle Eau Claire Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Middle Eau Claire Lake is located in Bayfield County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Middle Eau Claire Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Middle Eau Claire Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Middle Eau Claire Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Middle Eau Claire Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Middle Eau Claire Lake?: Middle Eau Claire Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.

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Compare Middle Eau Claire Lake With Nearby Lakes

Middle Eau Claire Lake vs Upper Eau Claire Lake

Bayfield County · 18.7 ft

Middle Eau Claire Lake vs Lower Eau Claire Lake

Bayfield County · 14.1 ft

Where this data comes from

96 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_WQX96 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-043035

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

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