Battle Creek Lake
Washington County, Minnesota106 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Battle Creek Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
Battle Creek Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15.3 ft. Surface area: 105.74 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 4, 2024 caught 1.80 northern pike per trap net at Battle Creek Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–27 inches. DNR survey details →
Battle Creek Lake is a 106-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Battle Creek Lake ranks #51 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Battle Creek Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Battle Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Battle Creek 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 Battle Creek Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Battle Creek Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft. Phosphorus 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.7 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 52µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.7µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Battle Creek Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Battle Creek Lake typically sits around 49°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in Jan (about 34°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (34°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 547 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Battle Creek Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 4, 2024 caught 1.80 northern pike per trap net at Battle Creek Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–27 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Battle Creek Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-04 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-04 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 53.71 | 4–14 in 2024-06-04 | 0.26 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.74 | 5–7 in 2009-08-24 | 0.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.65 | 13–27 in 2024-06-04 | 1.75 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.14 | 6–7 in 2024-06-04 | 0.17 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.04 | 5–8 in 2024-06-04 | 0.18 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.96 | 2–7 in 2024-06-04 | 0.1 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Bluegill
From the 2024-06-04 survey
Battle Creek (Mud) Lake is a 103-acre, class 43 FiN lake located at the western edge of Woodbury just south of Interstate 94. The sport fish community consists of Bluegill, Hybrid Sunfish, Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed Sunfish. The City of Woodbury operates a winter aeration system, a park (Menomini) that provides a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Battle Creek Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Battle CreekFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Battle CreekFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Battle CreekPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
15.3 ft
Surface area
106 acres
Shoreline
1.9 mi
Littoral zone
97%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
948 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Battle Creek LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Battle Creek Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Battle Creek Lake in Washington 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Battle Creek Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Battle Creek 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 Battle Creek Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Battle Creek Lake
- → Battle Creek Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Battle Creek Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Battle Creek Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Battle Creek Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.75 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.46 µg/L/yr5 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Battle Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Battle Creek (completed 1982), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Battle Creek; earth-type dam, 30 ft tall and 1,530 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2 ac
- Normal storage
- 100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 340 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WD of Ramsey- Washington Metro
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01014 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Battle Creek Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN82-0091-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Battle Creek Lake
Where is Battle Creek Lake?
- Battle Creek Lake is a lake in Washington County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Battle Creek Lake?
- Battle Creek Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15.3 ft. Surface area: 105.74 acres.
Is Battle Creek Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Battle Creek Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Battle Creek Lake?
- Battle Creek Lake typically sits around 49°F at the surface in October, from 547 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Battle Creek Lake?
- Battle Creek Lake has a maximum depth of 15.3 feet. The lake covers 105.74 acres.
What fish are in Battle Creek Lake?
- Fish species found in Battle Creek Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Battle Creek Lake is located in Washington County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Battle Creek Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 4, 2024 caught 1.80 northern pike per trap net at Battle Creek Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–27 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Battle Creek Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Battle Creek Lake?
- Battle Creek Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Battle Creek Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Battle Creek Lake?
- Battle Creek Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Battle Creek Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Washington County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
440 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
MNPCA440 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory