Sams Lake
Shawano County, Wisconsin6 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Sams Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 13 ft max depth
Sams Lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 6 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Sams Lake. DNR survey details →
Sams Lake is a 6-acre mesotrophic lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 13 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Shawano County, Sams Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Sams Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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 Sams 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 Sams Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Sams Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Sams Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sams Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (52°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 54 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sams Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Sams Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sams Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 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.
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
13 ft
Surface area
6 acres
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Stays near Sams Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sams 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.
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2021–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.8 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.52 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Shawano County
Frequently asked questions about Sams Lake
Where is Sams Lake?
- Sams Lake is a lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sams Lake?
- Sams Lake in Shawano County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 6 acres.
Is Sams 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 Sams Lake?
- Sams Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 54 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sams Lake?
- Sams Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 6 acres.
What fish are in Sams Lake?
- Fish species found in Sams Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Sams Lake is located in Shawano County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sams Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Sams Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sams Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Sams Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Stockbridge_Munsee Community
STOCKBRIDGE_MUNSEE39 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes