Beseau Lake
Becker County, Minnesota225 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Beseau Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 27 ft max depth
- Public access
Beseau Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 225.12 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2022 caught 2.25 walleye per gill net at Beseau Lake. DNR survey details →
Beseau Lake is a 225-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Beseau Lake ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Beseau Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing14 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Beseau 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 Beseau Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Beseau 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 7.7 ft. Phosphorus 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.2 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 29.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.2µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Beseau Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Beseau Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 28 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Beseau Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2022 caught 2.25 walleye per gill net at Beseau Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Beseau Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-08 (Targeted Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2023-05-08 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 33.02 | 12 in 2023-05-08 | 0.36 lb |
| Bluegill | 25.85 | 4–8 in 2022-06-06 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.65 | 9–13 in 2022-06-06 | 1.11 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 9.06 | 12–13 in 2022-06-06 | 0.52 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.17 | 5–8 in 2022-06-06 | 0.19 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 5.43 | 4–8 in 2022-06-06 | 0.19 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
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Brown Bullhead
From the 2023-05-08 survey
Bijou (Beseau) Lake is a 210-acre lake located in western Becker County. The agricultural watershed, marginal water quality, and continuing shoreline development make it susceptible to winterkill. Bijou Lake has experienced a light winterkill in 2004, a moderate winterkill in 2001, and a severe winterkill in 1994.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Beseau Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BijouFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BijouFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BijouPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
27 ft
Surface area
225 acres
Shoreline
5.1 mi
Littoral zone
53%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,371 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Beseau Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Beseau Lake in Becker 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 Beseau 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 Beseau 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 Beseau Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.34 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-2.02 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Beseau Lake
Where is Beseau Lake?
- Beseau Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Beseau Lake?
- Beseau Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 225.12 acres.
Is Beseau Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Beseau Lake?
- Beseau Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 28 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Beseau Lake?
- Beseau Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 225.12 acres.
What fish are in Beseau Lake?
- Fish species found in Beseau Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Beseau Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Beseau Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2022 caught 2.25 walleye per gill net at Beseau Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Beseau Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Beseau Lake?
- Public access to Beseau Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Beseau Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Becker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Detroit Lakes Area area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
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 Beseau Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
89 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
MNPCA89 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder