Is Big Lake Safe for Swimming?
Big Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has nutrient and algae measurements on record from state and federal monitoring. A water-quality reading is not a swimming clearance. The state water agency and county health departments post current advisories; check them before you swim.. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 26.5 μg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 10.7 μg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft |
| Location | Stearns County, Minnesota |
How does Big Lake compare?
With an overall water-quality readings of —, Big Lake matches or beats the Minnesota state average. It ranks #6 of 32 lakes in Stearns County by water quality score.
Water clarity (Secchi depth) sits at 6.9 feet. That puts the lake in good clarity range, with limited algae interference. Algae levels (chlorophyll-a) measure 10.7 µg/L — moderate; acceptable for swimming on most days, but worth checking advisories.
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