Barrett Lake
Barrett Lake in Grant County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 529.63 acres.
- Clarity
- 4 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 530 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Grant County
Why Barrett Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Barrett Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Barrett Lake is a 530-acre lake in Grant County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet (9-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 23 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Barrett Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Trophic State Index: 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Barrett Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Barrett Lake in Grant 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 Barrett Lake
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Water Temperature
Barrett Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Sep (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2011–2017) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Barrett Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Barrett Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (82,414 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28 ft |
| Average Depth | 8.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 530 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 80% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Barrett LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Barrett Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-31 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 24.26 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 14.08 | 0.59 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 12.78 | — |
| SUN | 12.65 | — |
| Walleye | 8.70 | 1.7 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 6.30 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Walleye
From the 2023-07-31 survey
Barrett Lake is a 530-acre impoundment of the Pomme de Terre River. The earliest available records of dam construction date back to 1936. The City of Barrett developed along the west and south shorelines. Maximum depth of the lake is 28.0 feet. Average depth is estimated at 8.5 feet. Water quality measurements…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Barrett Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BarrettFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BarrettFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BarrettPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.15 m/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Barrett Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Barrett Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Pomme de Terre River; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 56 ft long.
- Surface area
- 532 ac
- Normal storage
- 4,048 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,064 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 332 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- City of Barrett
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00028 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Barrett Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN26-0095-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Barrett Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Barrett WwtpBarrett · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MN0022713Recent 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.
Graded lakes near Barrett Lake
Barrett Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Grant County
Frequently asked questions about Barrett Lake
What is the water quality grade for Barrett Lake?
- Barrett Lake in Grant County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 529.63 acres.
Is Barrett Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Barrett Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Barrett Lake?
- Barrett Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2017). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Barrett Lake?
- Barrett Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet and an average depth of 8.5 feet. The lake covers 529.63 acres.
What fish are in Barrett Lake?
- Fish species found in Barrett Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid crappie, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, longnose gar, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Barrett Lake is located in Grant County, Minnesota.
Does Barrett Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Barrett Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (82,414 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Barrett Lake?
- Barrett Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Barrett Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Barrett Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
108 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA108 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory