Two Bear Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Two Bear Lake grades a B, with clarity readings still being added and 22 µg/L of phosphorus placing it above the Wisconsin median. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Two Bear Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. A maximum depth of 35 ft puts Two Bear Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. At 39 acres, Two Bear Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within the 13 graded lakes of Rusk County, Two Bear Lake sits at rank 11, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at Two Bear Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 3, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.