Upper Clam Lake
Burnett County, Wisconsin1,338 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Upper Clam Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Upper Clam Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 1338 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Upper Clam Lake. DNR survey details →
Upper Clam Lake is a 1,338-acre lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Upper Clam Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Big water1,338 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Clam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Upper Clam 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 Clam Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Upper Clam 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. TSI 67.
| 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 | 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. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Upper Clam Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Upper Clam Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Clam 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 2009. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
11 ft
Surface area
1,338 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Clam Lake - EastPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near Upper Clam Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Upper Clam 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 Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+9.2 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+3.65 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Upper Clam Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10006735 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Upper Clam Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Webster Village OfWebster · 4.1 mi away · NPDES WI0028843Recent 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 Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Clam Lake
Where is Upper Clam Lake?
- Upper Clam Lake is a lake in Burnett 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 Clam Lake?
- Upper Clam Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 1338 acres.
Is Upper Clam Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Clam Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Upper Clam Lake?
- Upper Clam Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 1338 acres.
What fish are in Upper Clam Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Clam Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sturgeon, Catfish. Upper Clam Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Upper Clam Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Upper Clam Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Clam 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 Upper Clam Lake?
- Upper Clam Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clam Lake - East. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Upper Clam Lake?
- Upper Clam Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.
Explore Upper Clam Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX7 samples · 2024–2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory