Fairbanks North Star Borough County Lake Quality
Alaska, 2 lakes — no lake here has enough monitoring data for a grade
Fairbanks North Star Borough County has 2 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Birch Lake (—) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Fairbanks North Star Borough County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Birch Lake — or check the official Alaska fishing regulations.
All Lakes in Fairbanks North Star Borough County
2 lakes · 0 graded, 2 not rated0 graded lakes · 2 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRBirch LakeFairbanks North Star Borough | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| NRChena Lake Southeast Parking LotFairbanks North Star Borough | NR | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = not rated: the monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar for a grade. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in Alaska
See how Fairbanks North Star Borough County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.