Becker Lake
Becker Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 221.38 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.7 ft
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 221 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 243 days
Next lake in Stearns County
Why Becker 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 Becker 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.
Becker Lake is a 221-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet (2-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-06-07. 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 Becker Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5.7 ft. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Becker Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Becker Lake in Stearns 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 Becker Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Average Depth | 2.2 ft |
| Surface Area | 221 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 77% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Horseshoe LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Becker 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-01 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BCS | 17.00 | — |
| PGS | 12.40 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.07 | 0.71 lb |
| Northern Pike | 9.72 | 1.7 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.21 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.84 | 0.09 lb |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-08-01 survey
Becker Lake is a 176-acre lake located near the city of Richmond in south-central Stearns County. A public access is located on the Sauk River just east of the lake. Becker Lake formed when a dam was built in Cold Spring in the early 1900's and is now considered a part of the Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL). Most of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Becker Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeckerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.31 m/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
Estimated open water season: 243 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-04 (2005) | 2007-04-14 (2007) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-08 (2003) | 2004-12-15 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-11
EPA Impairment Status
Becker Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0133-04 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.15 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Becker Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Richmond WwtpRichmond · 0.9 mi away · NPDES MN0024597Recent 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 Becker Lake
Becker Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Becker Lake
What is the water quality grade for Becker Lake?
- Becker Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 221.38 acres.
Is Becker Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Becker Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Becker Lake?
- Becker Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average depth of 2.2 feet. The lake covers 221.38 acres.
What fish are in Becker Lake?
- Fish species found in Becker Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, redhorse, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Becker Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does Becker Lake thaw?
- Becker Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Dec 7. The open water season is approximately 243 days.
Are there boat ramps on Becker Lake?
- Becker Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Horseshoe Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Becker Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA4 samples · 2020–2021
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate