Brown County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 15 lakes, measured by Minnesota PCA
The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. 4 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. Phosphorus and algae readings vary widely across Brown County; the per-lake pages below carry the numbers.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the readings sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest measured lake is Sleepy Eye Lake.
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Quick Answers for Brown County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Sleepy Eye Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
Fishing in Brown County
DNR Reports (12)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Brown County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Wellner-Hageman ReservoirFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Sleepy EyeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HanskaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HanskaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HanskaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Sleepy EyeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Sleepy EyePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Wellner-Hageman ReservoirFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Wellner-Hageman ReservoirPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Brown County
15 lakes · 4 ranked on readings, 11 without enough sampling4 lakes ranked on readings · 11 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sleepy Eye LakeBrown | 3.3 ft | 39.5 µg/L | 18.7 µg/L | No recent samples | 21 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | Clear LakeBrown | 0.8 ft | 196 µg/L | 92.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 8 ft | ✓ Public |
| 3 | Wellner-Hageman ReservoirBrown | 3.7 ft | 45 µg/L | 30.3 µg/L | No recent samples | 24 ft | ✓ Public |
| 4 | Hanska LakeBrown | 1 ft | 219 µg/L | 98.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 16 ft | ✓ Public |
| Unnamed LakeBrown | 0.3 ft | No recent samples | 300 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| Omsrud LakeBrown | 1 ft | 199 µg/L | 120 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public | |
| Domeier LakeBrown | 1 ft | 246 µg/L | 332 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in | |
| Linden LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Juni LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| School LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Zanders LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Gilman LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Bachelor LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Altermatt LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 4.4 ft | Not recorded | |
| Boise LakeBrown | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.
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Source: the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR. See data sources.