Barnesville Lake
Clay County, Minnesota11 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Barnesville Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 17 ft max depth
- Limited data
Barnesville Lake in Clay County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 11.05 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 20, 2023 caught 0.80 yellow perch per trap net at Barnesville Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–5 inches. DNR survey details →
Barnesville Lake is a 11-acre mesotrophic lake in Clay County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including black bullhead, green sunfish, and white sucker. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Barnesville Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing4 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Based on E. coli testing, Barnesville Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 15 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Barnesville Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Barnesville Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Barnesville Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.9 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 16.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Barnesville Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 20, 2023 caught 0.80 yellow perch per trap net at Barnesville Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–5 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Barnesville Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-20 (Targeted Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 2023-06-20 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 1.20 | 6–9 in 2023-06-20 | 0.18 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 1.10 | 3–4 in 2023-06-20 | 0.04 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 0.80 | 4–5 in 2023-06-20 | 0.05 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 0.33 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 0.20 | 5 in 2023-06-20 | 0.08 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
White Sucker
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
From the 2023-06-20 survey
A winterkill assessment was conducted on Barnesville Lake in June of 2023. This assessment proved a severe winterkill had taken place as only a handful of fish were captured including Green Sunfish, Yellow Perch, White Sucker and Black Bullhead. As a result, Walleye fry were stocked in late spring and nearly 200 adult…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Barnesville Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BarnesvilleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BarnesvilleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
17 ft
Surface area
11 acres
Shoreline
0.7 mi
Littoral zone
90%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Barnesville Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Barnesville Lake in Clay County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Barnesville Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Barnesville Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Barnesville Lake
- → Barnesville Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Barnesville Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Barnesville Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Barnesville Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Barnesville Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Barnesville WwtpBarnesville · 1.1 mi away · NPDES MN0022501Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Clay County
Frequently asked questions about Barnesville Lake
Where is Barnesville Lake?
- Barnesville Lake is a lake in Clay County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Barnesville Lake?
- Barnesville Lake in Clay County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 16.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 11.05 acres.
Is Barnesville Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Barnesville Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 15 samples across 3 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Barnesville Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
How deep is Barnesville Lake?
- Barnesville Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 11.05 acres.
What fish are in Barnesville Lake?
- Fish species found in Barnesville Lake include black bullhead, green sunfish, white sucker, yellow perch. Barnesville Lake is located in Clay County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Barnesville Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 20, 2023 caught 0.80 yellow perch per trap net at Barnesville Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–5 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Barnesville Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Barnesville Lake?
- Public access to Barnesville Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Barnesville Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Red River of the North Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Barnesville Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA10 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder