Moose Lake
Sawyer County, Wisconsin1,559 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Moose Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
Moose Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 1559 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Moose Lake. DNR survey details →
Moose Lake is a 1,559-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Moose Lake ranks #36 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Moose Lake covers about 1,600 acres in Sawyer County. It has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Moose Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Moose Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water1,559 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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. Moose Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Moose 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.
Water quality measurements for Moose Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Moose Lake, 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 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 28.9 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 28.9µg/L | Fair 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. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Moose Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Moose Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (69°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Moose Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Moose Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Moose Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1995. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
21 ft
Surface area
1,559 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
208 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
20.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,358 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Teal River FlowagePublic
- Moose LakePublic
- Moose LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Moose Lake
- Moose Lake4.2 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Moose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Moose 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 Moose 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 Moose Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Moose Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.44 µg/L/yr6 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Moose Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Moose Lake 1 (completed 1897), built primarily for recreation on the WEST FORK CHIPPEWA; gravity-type dam, 23 ft tall and 840 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,670 ac
- Normal storage
- 12,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 27,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 225 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Xcel Energy
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00195 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.61 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Moose Lake 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: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10026667 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Moose Lake
Where is Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 1559 acres.
Is Moose Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Moose Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 1559 acres.
What fish are in Moose Lake?
- Fish species found in Moose Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Moose Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Moose Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Musky and Walleye as abundant on Moose Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Moose Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Teal River Flowage, Moose Lake, Moose Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has 3 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.
Are there campgrounds on Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Moose Lake. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Moose Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Sawyer County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Hayward Lakes area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Chippewa River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Moose Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX29 samples · 2020–2025
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles