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LakeQuality

Sissabagama Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #29 of 45 lakes in the county · 8 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 805 acres
Mesotrophic

Sissabagama Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 805 acres.

Clarity
8 ft
Typical in August
74°F
Max depth
48 ft
Area
805 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Improving
Public access
Yes

Next lake in Sawyer County

BLittle Sissabagama Lake12.2 ft clear · Sawyer CountyView →
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Sissabagama Lake is a 805-acre mesotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 48 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 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Sissabagama Lake ranks #29 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Sissabagama Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)8 ftNot graded
Phosphorus18.7 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)47Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Sissabagama Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sissabagama 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 Sissabagama Lake

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 →

Water Temperature

Sissabagama Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Jun (about 74°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
74°
Jul
80°
Aug
74°
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 30 field readings (20242026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sissabagama Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth48 ft
Surface Area805 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
9 sq mi
Shoreline
7.6 mi
Elevation
1,309 ft

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

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Lake SissabagamaPublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing Sissabagama 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 SnailChinese Mystery SnailEurasian Water-Milfoil

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1990. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Good · Deep Lowland lake
Trophic State Index 47 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

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

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.072 m/yr5
Phosphorus Improving-0.68 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #29 of 45 lakes in Sawyer County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Sissabagama Lake holds Grade B. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County

Frequently asked questions about Sissabagama Lake

What is the water quality grade for Sissabagama Lake?

Sissabagama Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 805 acres.

Is Sissabagama Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Sissabagama Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Sissabagama Lake?

Sissabagama Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 30 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Sissabagama Lake?

Sissabagama Lake has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake covers 805 acres.

What fish are in Sissabagama Lake?

Fish species found in Sissabagama Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Sissabagama Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Sissabagama Lake?

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

Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

25 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX25 samples · 2021–2026

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

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