Upper Backwater Lake
Jackson County, Wisconsin24 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Upper Backwater Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 19 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Upper Backwater Lake in Jackson County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 24 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Upper Backwater Lake. DNR survey details →
Upper Backwater Lake is a 24-acre lake in Jackson County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-08-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Upper Backwater Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing6 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Upper Backwater 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 Upper Backwater Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Upper Backwater Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Upper Backwater Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Upper Backwater Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Backwater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Upper Backwater Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2023Backwater Lakes fisheries survey, 2023Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
19 ft
Surface area
24 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
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Stays near Upper Backwater Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Upper Backwater Lake
- → Upper Backwater Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Upper Backwater Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Upper Backwater Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Upper Backwater Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Upper Backwater Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Hatfield Sanitary DistrictAlma · 0.8 mi away · NPDES WI0036641Recent violation
- Wazee Area Wastewater CommissionBlack River Falls · 4.4 mi away · NPDES WI0036889Recent violation
- Merrillan Wastewater Treatment FacilityMerrillan · 4.9 mi away · NPDES WI0024732Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Backwater Lake
Where is Upper Backwater Lake?
- Upper Backwater Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Upper Backwater Lake?
- Upper Backwater Lake in Jackson County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 24 acres.
Is Upper Backwater Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Upper Backwater Lake?
- Upper Backwater Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 24 acres.
What fish are in Upper Backwater Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Backwater Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Catfish. Upper Backwater Lake is located in Jackson County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Upper Backwater Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Walleye as common on Upper Backwater Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Backwater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Upper Backwater Lake?
- Public access to Upper Backwater Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX12 samples · 2023
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes