Brown County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 7 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Brown County has 7 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. On average, Brown County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Unnamed Lake (C); the most-stressed is Clear Lake (F).
Quick Answers for Brown County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Unnamed Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (12)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Brown County. browse all reports →
- —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
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unnamed Lake | C | 0.3 ft | - | 1.3 µg/L |
| 2 | Wellner-Hageman Reservoir | D | 3.7 ft | 24 ft | 45 µg/L |
| 3 | Sleepy Eye Lake | D | 3.3 ft | 21 ft | 39.5 µg/L |
| 4 | Clear Lake | F | 0.8 ft | 8 ft | 196 µg/L |
| 5 | Hanska Lake | F | 1 ft | 16 ft | 218 µg/L |
| 6 | Domeier Lake | F | 1 ft | - | 246 µg/L |
| 7 | Omsrud Lake | F | 1 ft | - | 199 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.