Big Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Big Lake?

Big Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 415 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Big Lake?

Big Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Big Lake?

Big 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.

Big Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota415 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Minnesota PCA for this lake.

Max depth

30 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

415 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

7.3 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
30 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Big Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 415 acres.

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Big Lake is a 415-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Big Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Big 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.

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Water quality measurements for Big Lake

These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big 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. TSI undefined.

Ask about Big Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

30 ft

Surface area

415 acres

Shoreline

7.3 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Minnesota PCA

The depth above comes from a bathymetric survey of this lake, not from a regional estimate.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Big LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

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Stays near Big Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big 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 Big Lake

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Fishing Big Lake

→ Big Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Big Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0159-00 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Stearns County

Big Lake6.9 ft clear · Eutrophic0.3 miView →Meyers Lake1.1 miView →Roschien Lake1.5 miView →Schroeder Lake1.3 miView →Ganzer Lake1.4 miView →Deep Lake1.7 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Big Lake

Where is Big Lake?: Big Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Lake?: Big Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 415 acres.
Is Big Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Lake?: Big Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 415 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Big Lake?: Big Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Lake?: Big 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.