Barbour Lake
Crow Wing County, MinnesotaLimited DataMesotrophic
The LakeGrade rubric puts Barbour Lake at a C: clarity at 9.5 ft, phosphorus readings still being added, and a TSI of 45 signal an intermediate trophic state.
The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. The lake's 54 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 56 acres, Barbour Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within the 120 graded lakes of Crow Wing County, Barbour Lake sits at rank 112, near the bottom of the county list.
Zebra mussel presence at Barbour Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. The fishery is bass-led, with 9 documented species across the lake's records. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-08-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C, Fair
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | C |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 54 ft |
| Surface Area | 56.22 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 23% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Barbour Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Barbour Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Barbour Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #112 of 120 lakes in Crow Wing County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Barbour Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Barbour Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| SUN | 131.17 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 43.67 | 0.46 lb |
| CNM | 34.30 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.23 | — |
| Bluegill | 10.38 | 0.15 lb |
| BNS | 10.09 | — |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Bluegill
From the 2023-08-10 survey
A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile was collected in the deepest basin on Barbour Lake on August 16, 2023, to evaluate the amount of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee. Based on the profile, the top of the thermocline (i.e., the location in the water column…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Barbour Lake. 1 report on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BarbourFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Most recent sample: 2024-08-22
Monitoring stations: 1